Treatment of Undernutrition

Output

number of children under 5 admitted for treatment of Severe or High-risk Moderate Acute Malnutrition

This DG ECHO Key Result Indicator measures the number of children under 5 years admitted for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) or high-risk moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) during the programme timeframe. It is an output measure of the number of children admitted for treatment by the programme. The indicator does not measure the population burden of acute malnutrition or treatment coverage.

Determine the indicator's value by using the following methodology:

 

1) Identify relevant treatment programmes: Identify the active programmes within the project's scope/timeframe that are providing treatment for SAM and/or high-risk MAM in children under 5 years. These programmes could include:

• Outpatient Treatment Programmes: For the treatment of SAM cases without complications;

• Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programmes (TSFP) or other outpatient MAM services: For the treatment of high-risk MAM cases;

• Inpatient Treatment Programmes or Stabilisation Centres: For treatment of SAM with complications.

2) Before counting a child as having high-risk MAM, document the eligibility criteria used by the programme and ensure that they follow the current DG ECHO definition and applicable national protocol. WHO and UNICEF identify factors that can be used to prioritise children with MAM at higher risk of poor outcomes, including MUAC 115–119 mm, WAZ <−3 SD, age under 24 months, failure to recover from MAM, relapse to MAM, previous SAM, relevant comorbidity and severe personal circumstances. These should not be assumed to constitute the DG ECHO definition unless specified by DG ECHO or the applicable national protocol.

3) Check the treatment records: Use registers, enrolment or admission forms, or other routine records from all treatment sites included in the programme to identify children under 5 enrolled or admitted for treatment of SAM or high-risk MAM during the reporting period.

 

4) To calculate the indicator's value, aggregate the number of children admitted for treatment of SAM or high-risk MAM during the specified reporting period. A child who moves between treatment components or facilities as part of the same treatment episode, including from SAM to high-risk MAM treatment, should be counted only once. Report the numbers of SAM and high-risk MAM admissions separately in addition to the combined indicator value.

This data can be disaggregated by SAM and high-risk MAM (required by DG ECHO), sex and age (0–5 months, 6–23 months and 24–59 months), and, if relevant and feasible, also by treatment programme, geographic area, disability and other specific vulnerable groups.

1) Determining this indicator relies on consistent and accurate data collection at the individual child level at each treatment site and a system for regular aggregation of this data at the project level.

2) For infants under 6 months, use the applicable national treatment protocol and current WHO–UNICEF guidance. WHO and UNICEF do not use the term moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) for this age group; infants are classified as being at risk of poor growth and development and/or as having SAM. Because the DG ECHO indicator covers all children under 5, clearly document which admissions of infants under 6 months are included and how they are classified.

 

3) It's important to note that this indicator focuses on the number of admissions, not the total number of children currently being treated or the outcomes of the treatment.

 

4) Interpret changes in admissions carefully. Admission numbers can be affected by nutritional need, community screening and referral, service availability and accessibility, admission criteria and population movement. Changes in admission numbers should therefore be interpreted in relation to trends in these factors.

Also consider using the following indicators:

• Coverage of Acute Malnutrition Treatment Services (measures the proportion of eligible children receiving treatment and therefore complements the absolute admission count)

• Recovery (Cure) Rate (measures treatment outcomes among children discharged from the programme)

• Ongoing Nutrition Programmes (measures whether supported facilities have functioning nutrition treatment services)