Blood sample collection
COLD, -20
A standard finger prick was used to collect capillary blood from women and children at the time of the survey. Hemoglobin measures were analyzed at the point of collection using Hemocue® 201 + System from the third drop of blood with standard techniques. After this, 300 µl of whole capillary blood were collected in Microvette™ tubes. Samples were immediately cooled by placing them in cool boxes with cold packs, returned to the field lab at the end of each day, and kept refrigerated overnight at 4–8 °C. The following day they were centrifuged at 12,100 x g for 10 minutes and aliquots of serum as well as the remaining pellets containing red blood cells were then stored at -20 °C. Dry ice was used during domestic and international transport to Germany. Further details on blood collection have been published in the FAARM trial protocol [