The Race to Fight Malnutrition

Nutritional Surveillance
I have been working with my Community Health Nurse (CHN), Omar, as he has been performing a nutritional surveillance across the 8 villages in his catchment area. The results have been staggering: 20% of the under 5 years of age population are malnourished.  These results came as a big surprise to the regional health office as the previous surveillance results found only 4 children malnourished as opposed to our 46. Apparently the previous CHN had made up the surveillance data instead of doing the work to go to each village and find the height and weight of every child. Because of this there are even more malnourished children.

What is the solution to malnutrition?
The Ministry of Health has decided that those children found to be either moderately or severely malnourished are going to be given Plumpy Nut, peanut butter + vitamins. In addition, they will be monitored regularly so as to prevent any complications. The main problem right now is the lack of Plumpy Nut. We have been told to give as much as we have and that another shipment will come soon; however, we are unaware of whether this shipment will indeed come.  My counterpart and I have developed a questionnaire to determine the underlying cause of the malnutrition. We will ask the mothers of the malnourished children questions related to their knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding the issue of malnutrition.

The rainy season is approaching...
Right now, The Gambia is in the dry season, the time of year when food is plenty and malnutrition is expected to be at a low. The rainy season is coming, and with that comes mosquitoes and famine. Those children that are malnourished have a suppressed immune system, meaning that that they are more likely to contract malaria which leads to a reduced appetite, and therefore more severe malnutrition.  We are on a race to fight malnutrition!