Testing the combined protocol for acute malnutrition in Somalia

Acute malnutrition, despite being characterised on a spectrum, has historically been managed differently depending on its severity – severe or moderate – creating parallel and unnecessarily complex systems. This study tested a combined protocol – treating both severe and moderate acute malnutrition – in a health centre in Mogadishu, Somalia, and a policy analysis was conducted in four other food-insecure contexts.

The study contributed to the evidence base in Somalia around the combined protocol for treating acute malnutrition. It also increased IRC capacity, knowledge and practice and led to protocol scale-up in multiple health facilities in Mogadishu, supported by the Somalia Ministry of Health and funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). The Ministry of Health published guidelines on integrated management in 2021, likely influenced by the study, and the IRC has also since built on these findings and its wider research agenda to adapt the combined protocol for different humanitarian contexts.

R2HC captures detailed case studies through a process that triangulates and validates evidence on uptake and impact. The case study methodology and full version of this summary case study including references are available on request. Outputs and resources from this study are available on the project page.