SAVE LIVES OF 600 MALNOURISHED CHILDREN IN UGANDA

In the last quarter, the Child and Family Foundation (CFU) screened 494 children. A total of fifty-three children were identified and enrolled in the program. Fifty-seven (30/53) percent of the children were found with severe malnutrition while 43% (23/53) were found to have moderate malnutrition. Half of the children enrolled in the program improved dramatically and have been discharged (See table 1 below). 

Child and Family Foundation Uganda identified an expert client (meaning she has treated a child with malnutrition before). Gertrude is her name. she has four children under five years and three of whom are currently severely malnourished. One of her children was abandoned at her door by a neighbor who has since disappeared. This abandoned baby is 8 months now and severely malnourished. On further, examination, the baby was found to be exposed to HIV infection with pass oozing out of the left ear. She was enrolled at CFU and an HIV test has been ordered. In the meantime, the baby was put on the nutrition program where she receives plumpy nut and some antibiotics for her middle ear infection.

Child and Family foundation recorded a total of 71 clients who received Vitamin A and deworming from both static and community outreaches. These included 6 adults (1 male and 5 female) 15 years and above. During the outreaches, we conducted health education sessions with caretakers. Some of the topics discussed during the quarter included: caring for a malnourished child, how to identify malnutrition, positioning, and attachment during breastfeeding, optimal breastfeeding, complementary feeding, balanced diet, maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding (lactating) when to take a child to the health facility, danger signs of illness and disease, caring and Feeding for a sick, optimal complementary feeding, and good hygienic practices. The health education sessions successfully engaged at least one male participant per session in order to support the mothers in the community knowing well that they are the breadwinners in this environment. 

Due to the increased food scarcity during the COVID-19 era and subsequent lockdown since June 2021 for 42 days, we sought to teach the caregivers to look out for their children as regards severe malnutrition. Knowing that 45% of malnourished children die even after adequate rehabilitation, prevention is more than crucial at this time. To achieve this, we taught caregivers the concept of family MUAC (which simply means that the caretakers assess their children every week using a measuring tape to identify children who are getting mild malnutrition and refer these cases as early as possible to the child and Family Foundation nutrition program.

During this period, ~75 mothers with children 0-59 months have been trained on Family MUAC. Out of the 75 trained, 52 caregivers are able to take the screening measurements correctly. 

In addition, screening for malnutrition, we also provided medical screening to these communities who hardly get a medical checkup due to affordability issues. In the reporting period, we were able to offer 22 clients a medical consultation and screened 35 adults for Blood Pressure (BP), and distributed medication (specifical antibiotics) to seven people depending on signs and symptoms. Two pregnant women who had not started antenatal care (ANC) at six months of pregnancy were counseled and linked to ANC clinic at CFU during the month of September 2021.

Some of the mothers had breastfeeding difficulties especially those with cerebral palsy, while others were facing gender-based violence and hence the difficulty in feeding themselves and the children.

There was this mother called Samantha, not real name, 24 years old who was experiencing a lot of psychological and physical gender-based violence. She was a new mother with a baby who was 4month old now. The mother is a homestay mom and skips meals every day to keep food for the husband who leaves 1.5 USD for lunch and supper but because the food is not enough, she opts to keep it all for supper. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get to cook it since the husband volunteered to prepare it, except that he doesn’t get back home before 9:00 pm. The mother continues to starve part of the night and if there are no woes that day, is when she gets to eat from home. Many times, her friend steel fully gives her food but if the husband found out that she eats from the neighborhood- that is an offense. If this trend continues, the newborn and the mother will surely become malnourished.

In sum, malnutrition continues to rage in our communities but with your generosity, we are able to find these children rehabilitate them, and also educate them on how to improve their nutrition habits and those of the children. Caretakers identified undergoing gender-based violence are linked to other community resources that can support them.

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