Randomization and Assessment
fever
RECRUITMENT
Eligible consenting participants were randomized to receive either the intervention package or standard care in a 1:1 ratio in block sizes of 64, 96, or 128 participants. In order to respect the attendance figure at the recruitment sites (children <5 y represented 75% of consultation the previous year), participants were randomized by age group—that is, children under 5 years (1083 participants) and from 5 years to less than 18 years (635 participants). Briefly, individual randomization codes were generated by the FIND data-management team and sent to the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN) data-management team for printing and placing in envelopes. The data-management team at CRUN was not involved in the implementation of the study and had no contact with the clinical trial team. The allocation of randomization code was made in chronological order by allocating each subsequent number to the subsequent participant.All participants in both arms received a prescription on day 0 based on clinical decision (supported by a POCT in the intervention arm) and were followed up on day 7 for evaluation of the clinical outcomes and adherence to prescriptions. Nevertheless, to assess adherence to antibiotic prescriptions in the intervention arm, procurement of antibiotics was collected for those who received a prescription and those without an antibiotic prescription at day 0. For clinical recovery at day 7, the following definition was used: being alive, with no fever, amendment of day 0 symptoms.