Source: UN Children's Fund
Country: Malawi
Highlights
- During the month of July, 3,041 children under five suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition were provided with lifesaving treatment at OTPs and NRUs.
- 5,754 children were provided the treatment Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) conditions.
- 7,943 malnourished adolescents and adults on TB and ART treatment were reached.
- UNICEF and DNHA have established the partnership agreements with I/NGO partners for the implementation of the mass screening and mobilization activities across the country.
- Ensuring the uninterrupted and continued lifesaving therapeutic and supplementary food support to vulnerable children.
- Mass screening and community mobilization drive continues across the country. During the first phase 1.7 million children were reached through the campaign.
- Joint NRU assessment and supervision conducted.
Emergency Program Updates
- UNICEF is strengthening monitoring of the nutrition situation by strengthening human resource capacity at district level. Nutrition field monitors will be increased from 14 to 20 with a scale up in the Southern region which is most affected.
- With support from UNICEF, the Ministry of Health conducted a consultative review of the 2015/16 response with major stakeholders /partners. The lessons learnt will be addressed while best practices will be carried forward in the 2016/17 nutrition drought response implementation. Furthermore, a Nutrition in Emergencies (NiE) training for sub national level has been planned during the months of August and September 2016.
- A workshop was organized by UNICEF and Ministry of Health in Lilongwe from July 13th to 15th; all nutrition field monitors and nutrition implementing partners participated; Mass screening guidelines were presented to make sure the necessary steps are being followed before the commencement of the mass screening activities on full scale.
- UNICEF and WFP are continuing to ensure the pre-positioning of life-saving nutrition commodities for the treatment of severe and moderate categories of acute malnutrition to 100% of the treatment facilities providing treatment of acute malnutrition.
- In July, UNICEF completed the distribution to the last mile of 4,719 cartons of RUTF to health facilities in all 28 districts thus enabling children with SAM to receive treatment.
- WFP continued to provide nutrition commodities - super cereal plus (CSB ++) to 542 facilities to treat children 6months to 12 years, pregnant and lactating affected by moderate acute malnutrition. A total of 438 MT of super cereal plus were distributed in July 2016.
- UNICEF is strengthening community and facility based systems through mass screening, timely data collection and reporting, supply chain logistics.
- UNICEF is supporting the MOH and DNHA to strengthen multi-sectoral coordination to ensure a continued timely nutrition in emergency response and strengthen linkages and referrals to other social protection and livelihood programs at sub-national level.
UNICEF Collaborating with MoH and ACF to build capacity of health workers to identify and address malnutrition through:
i. Improving 33 NRU staff capacities and skills for managing and treating SAM. ii. Reviewing the CMAM standardized Training modules/ materials to incorporate WHO updates. iii. Support national Training of Trainers (ToT) and conduct cascade trainings and mentorship visits to the 33 NRUs. iv. Strengthening site supervisions by MoH staff.