Effectiveness of Acute Malnutrition Treatment at Health Center and Community Levels with a Simplified, Combined Protocol in Mali: An Observational Cohort Study

ABSTRACT: A simplified, combined protocol was created that admits children with a mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) of <125 mm or edema to malnutrition treatment with ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) that involves prescribing two daily RUTF sachets to children with MUAC < 115 mm or edema and one daily sachet to those with 115 mm ≤ MUAC < 125 mm. This treatment was previously shown to result in non-inferior programmatic outcomes compared with standard treatment. We aimed at observing its effectiveness in a routine setting at scale, including via delivery by community health workers (CHWs). A total of 27,800 children were admitted to the simplified, combined treatment. Treatment resulted in a 92% overall recovery, with a mean length of stay of 40 days and a mean RUTF consumption of 62 sachets per

SUBMITTER: Kangas S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9699530 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature