Impact Case Study: Improving treatment of acute malnutrition for children in emergencies

Nearly one million children aged under five in the central Sahel region are at risk of severe wasting. Addressing acute malnutrition is complicated, and standard management doesn’t include community health workers (CHWs). The study aimed to address the challenges of treating severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in emergency settings by evaluating a simplified treatment protocol used by CHWs and health staff from health facilities.

The research led to policy changes in Niger and Mali, incorporating the simplified protocol for acute malnutrition management into national guidelines in exceptional circumstances, and allowing CHWs to deliver treatment in emergencies. The study strengthened the evidence for using CHWs in SAM treatment, gaining recognition from key organisations influencing global policy on simplified approaches. The research also accelerated further studies and collaborations, with the potential to scale up and improve services for thousands of children across the region.

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.