Project profile — Support to Child Survival

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) better access of vulnerable children to preventative health care including provision of Vitamin A and deworming treatments, and malnutrition detection; and (2) better access to community health services to treat children with acute malnutrition.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2016) include: Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM): (1) 365,357 children with severe acute malnutrition were admitted and treated in the target regions (significantly higher than the planned target of 58,000, considering the increased severe acute malnutrition cases due to the current drought); (2) 20,000 health workers were trained on management of severe acute malnutrition; and (3) nutrition officers were deployed in each region to strengthen the CMAM (632 facility-monitoring visits were conducted in Somali Region alone). As part of the Enhanced Outreach Strategy (implemented in Gambella and Somalia): (1) 830,000 children 6-59 months of age received two doses of vitamin A, representing 96% of the target population; (2) 512,000 children 24-59 months of age received de-worming treatments twice a year, representing 92% of the target population; and (3) 130,000 children 6-59 months of age and 121,000 pregnant and lactating women were screened for malnutrition. This represents 98% and 137% of the target populations, respectively. Target populations were based on administrative estimates by age group provided by Regional Health Bureaus. Health Extension Program (implemented in 100 districts in Oromia): (1) 1.5 million children 6-59 months of age received two doses of vitamin A, representing 95% of the target population; (2) 100% of districts always had stocks of ready-to-use therapeutic feeding; and (3) 6,000 health extension workers were trained on routine delivery of vitamin A supplements. An estimated total of 370,000 mothers and caregivers were reached through these materials. These results contributed to increased access and coverage for vulnerable children to vitamin A, deworming and malnutrition detection, as well as better access to community health services, to treat children with acute malnutrition in Ethiopia.