Rapid Expansion of Nutritional Recuperation Services for Malnourished Children in Nigerien Facilities

Overview

URC’s nonprofit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), built on earlier URC work to create and implement a pediatric malnutrition recuperation program. Leveraging the Quality Assurance Project's Pediatric Hospital Improvement Collaborative, the project rapidly expanded nutritional recuperation services for acutely malnourished children in 15 district hospitals. In addition, it built local capacity to improve behavior change and communication, screenings, referrals, and recuperation.

Achievements

• Close to 2000 severely malnourished children admitted for recuperation into the 15 participating hospitals
• Children systematically screened for malnutrition increased from 0% at baseline to 41% in 2007
• Overall compliance with recuperation standards including screening, nutrition recuperation, medical management, and discharge/referral planning, increased from < 10% at baseline to an average 88% in 2007 
• The average monthly malnutrition case-fatality rate decreased from 29% in the first quarter to 13% in 2007