Recovery (Cure) Rate

Outcome

% of children discharged from the treatment program as successfully recovered

Recovery (cure) is one of the four core performance indicators of malnutrition treatment programs. It represents the proportion of all children discharged from the treatment program who reached the “recovery” criteria defined for the program (i.e. were successfully cured of acute malnutrition).

To calculate the indicator's value, divide the number of children discharged as “recovered” by the total number of discharged children. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage. The resulting number is the recovery rate (in percentages).

Disaggregate the data by gender, age groups and (if relevant) specific vulnerable groups, such as children from minority groups.

1) The indicator does not require a separate survey – all data can be gained from the treatment program’s regular records.

    

2) According to the Sphere Standards, a recovery rate of more than 75% is perceived as “acceptable”.

    

3) The four core performance indicators of a malnutrition treatment program (esp. the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition, CMAM) are recovery rate, death rate, default rate and non-recovery rate.

  

4) DG ECHO uses this as a Key Outcome Indicator with the wording “Severe acute malnutrition recovery rate (at the discharge and after 3 and 6 months)”. Report the standard recovery rate at discharge (i.e., the proportion of all discharges in the reporting period that are discharged as cured/recovered out of total discharges across all supported treatment facilities). In addition, DG ECHO expects a post-discharge follow-up: among children discharged as cured/recovered, assess their status 3 and 6 months after discharge (e.g., via follow-up visit/phone tracing combined with anthropometric check and/or verification against readmission records) and report the proportion who remain recovered (i.e., have not relapsed to SAM) at each time point.