Nutrition

Primary Problem

In consequence of the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West Region, most families have become food insecure which has led to high rate of malnutrition and due to closure of some health facilities; the children have not received Vitamins, deworming medications and vaccines in some of these districts. Rapid emergency food security assessments (EFSA) revealed a precarious situation with a proxy GAM of 5.1% and 7.1% in North West (NW) and South West (SW) regions respectively.

Analysis from Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screening data showed that NW region is more affected  with a proxy GAM prevalence of 4.8% and 1.5% in NW and SW regions respectively. Furthermore, poor indicators on Infant and young child feeding practices were reported with 42.5% and 58.3% of exclusive breast-feeding rates for NW and SW region respectively. Complementary feeding also appears compromised, with only 30 per cent of children 6-23 months consuming the minimum acceptable diet and over 40% (44.3% NW and 41.9% SW) of children aged 6-59months were reported to have anemia.

The drivers of malnutrition, food insecurity, morbidity (malaria, cough and morbidity), poor sanitary conditions and repeated internal displacement remained accelerated in 2020. Access to health care still remains a challenge due to insecurity and persistent attacks on healthcare as this constituted a huge threat to the availability of essential health care to the populations. 71% (NW – 82% & SW – 56%) of the facilities are functional with 58% (NW-55% &SW-61%) of IDPs not able to access health care due to distance (45%) and financial constraints. Donga-Mantung is one of the Divisions in the North West that has registered high influx of IDPs. The increase in population due to influx of displaced person’s has strained the available resources resulting in high need for humanitarian aid especially in addressing the most urgent food insecurity risk and malnutrition. It is within this frame work that we are providing VAS and BSFP in the targeted 7 health districts for 8 months in the NWR.

Objectives:

To improve the nutritional status of    children 6-59 months and   pregnant women    through provision of vitamin supplementation (Vitamin A, Albendazole and multivitamins) and Blanket Supplementary Feeding program for children 6-23months and PLW in 7 Health Districts in NWR

  1. Preventing Acute Malnutrition in children 6-23months and PLW through Blanket Supplementary Feeding Program for 8 months in 4 health districts (Kumbo East, Kumbo West, Ndu and Nkambe) in NWR.
  2. Provision of  Vitamin A supplementation and Albendazole to 5000 vulnerable children under 5 years for 6 months in 4 health districts( Wum, Nkambe, Batibo, Ndop) in the NWR
  3. Provision of multi vitamin supplement to 1200 vulnerable pregnant women for 6 months in 4 health districts (Wum, Nkambe, Batibo, Ndop) in the North West Region.
  • Screened 16,144 children 6-59months in Kumbo East, Kumbo West, Ndu and Nkambe health districts. Out of 16,144 children screened 124 SAM cases (64 Boys, 60girls) given 0.8% and 697 MAM cases (364 boys, 333 girls) given 4.3%.
  • 1718 PW and 1984 LW have been screened for malnutrition (6 MAM cases; 5PW and 1LW) given 0.2%.
  • Distributed 118,800 MT super cereal plus to 4950 children 6-23 months and PLW in 4 health districts in the NWR.
  • Sensitized 25,0333 parents/ caregivers on IYCF_E practices in emergencies.
  • Strengthen the capacity of 50 CHW on Community education, eligibility criteria, giving vitamins, giving deworming medications, record keeping and visual checklist at S Provided vitamin A (100,000IU) to 1500 vulnerable children 6-11 months in 4 health districts HUMAS head office in Feb 2020
  • Provided Vitamin A (200,000IU) to 5000 vulnerable children 12-59 months in 4 health districts.
  • Provided multi vitamin supplement to 1200 pregnant women in 4 health district.
  • The rate of malnutrition is quiet high in places like Akweto and Misaje, but these children have no access to nutrition centers, so we keep on screening them with no inputs given.
  • There are still many children who have not received VAS causing them to be sick always
  • There also many loss to follow up children who have not been vaccinated upon.
  • Most of SAM cases are from Akweto specifically in Dumbu, Bebe Jamal, Nkanchi, Bem, Bakinchini, Sabongida villages, the distance to reach the Nkambe district hospital is expensive, and most of parents refuse to go centers because of lack of money.
  • Some referred cases have other secondary and opportunistic diseases like anemia, skin infections, malaria, diarrhea and indigestion. These parents do not have the means to pay the treatment of these secondary and opportunistic diseases associated with malnutrition.