Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic
Abstract Treatment of acute malnutrition requires novel approaches to improve coverage, reduce costs and improve the efficiency of standard protocols that separate the management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The use of simplified, combined protocols to tr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Maternal and Child Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13743 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850250546760384512 |
|---|---|
| author | Francis M. Ngure Zachary Tausanovitch Grace A. Heymsfield Siolo Mada Bebelou Parfait Seboulo Benedict Tabiojongmbeng Anne Marie Dembele Issa Niamanto Coulibaly Victor Nikièma Jeanette Bailey Suvi T. Kangas |
| author_facet | Francis M. Ngure Zachary Tausanovitch Grace A. Heymsfield Siolo Mada Bebelou Parfait Seboulo Benedict Tabiojongmbeng Anne Marie Dembele Issa Niamanto Coulibaly Victor Nikièma Jeanette Bailey Suvi T. Kangas |
| author_sort | Francis M. Ngure |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Treatment of acute malnutrition requires novel approaches to improve coverage, reduce costs and improve the efficiency of standard protocols that separate the management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The use of simplified, combined protocols to treat both MAM and SAM has drawn research and policy interest among global, regional and national stakeholders. However, the perspectives of local communities and health care workers regarding the use of protocols to treat acute malnutrition in a routine health care system are generally lacking. This was a cross‐sectional mixed‐methods study aimed at assessing the perceptions of different stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol in two districts in the Central African Republic. Most of the respondents preferred the simplified, combined protocol over the standard protocol. They generally agreed that the protocol was easy to understand, allowed more children to receive treatment and was effective in treating acute malnutrition. The protocol modifications were well received, including the expanded admission criteria, use of mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC) only for admission and discharge criteria and reduced and simplified ready‐to‐use therapeutic food quantity to treat MAM and SAM. Some caregivers expressed concern with the use of MUAC only to declare recovery, flagging that underlying illnesses could still be present. The caregivers recommended the provision of other food basket interventions to improve the treatment. The support by caregivers and health care workers on the idea of training community health volunteers to treat acute malnutrition points to the potential of scaling up decentralized treatment to increase coverage in remote areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-34a6852e168943eca7a698cb727b3f11 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1740-8695 1740-8709 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Maternal and Child Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-34a6852e168943eca7a698cb727b3f112025-08-20T01:58:11ZengWileyMaternal and Child Nutrition1740-86951740-87092025-01-01211n/an/a10.1111/mcn.13743Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African RepublicFrancis M. Ngure0Zachary Tausanovitch1Grace A. Heymsfield2Siolo Mada Bebelou3Parfait Seboulo4Benedict Tabiojongmbeng5Anne Marie Dembele6Issa Niamanto Coulibaly7Victor Nikièma8Jeanette Bailey9Suvi T. Kangas10Nutrition Research Consultant Nairobi KenyaInternational Rescue Committee New York New York USAInternational Rescue Committee New York New York USAMinistry of Health and Population Bangui Central African RepublicMinistry of Health and Population Bangui Central African RepublicWorld Food Program Bangui Central African RepublicUnited Nations Children's Fund Bangui Central African RepublicInternational Rescue Committee Bamako MaliWorld Food Program Regional Bureau for West Africa Dakar SenegalInternational Rescue Committee New York New York USAInternational Rescue Committee New York New York USAAbstract Treatment of acute malnutrition requires novel approaches to improve coverage, reduce costs and improve the efficiency of standard protocols that separate the management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The use of simplified, combined protocols to treat both MAM and SAM has drawn research and policy interest among global, regional and national stakeholders. However, the perspectives of local communities and health care workers regarding the use of protocols to treat acute malnutrition in a routine health care system are generally lacking. This was a cross‐sectional mixed‐methods study aimed at assessing the perceptions of different stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol in two districts in the Central African Republic. Most of the respondents preferred the simplified, combined protocol over the standard protocol. They generally agreed that the protocol was easy to understand, allowed more children to receive treatment and was effective in treating acute malnutrition. The protocol modifications were well received, including the expanded admission criteria, use of mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC) only for admission and discharge criteria and reduced and simplified ready‐to‐use therapeutic food quantity to treat MAM and SAM. Some caregivers expressed concern with the use of MUAC only to declare recovery, flagging that underlying illnesses could still be present. The caregivers recommended the provision of other food basket interventions to improve the treatment. The support by caregivers and health care workers on the idea of training community health volunteers to treat acute malnutrition points to the potential of scaling up decentralized treatment to increase coverage in remote areas.https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13743Central African Republiccombined protocolmid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC)ready‐to‐use therapeutic food (RUTF)simplifiedstakeholders |
| spellingShingle | Francis M. Ngure Zachary Tausanovitch Grace A. Heymsfield Siolo Mada Bebelou Parfait Seboulo Benedict Tabiojongmbeng Anne Marie Dembele Issa Niamanto Coulibaly Victor Nikièma Jeanette Bailey Suvi T. Kangas Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic Maternal and Child Nutrition Central African Republic combined protocol mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC) ready‐to‐use therapeutic food (RUTF) simplified stakeholders |
| title | Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic |
| title_full | Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic |
| title_short | Perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified, combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in Central African Republic |
| title_sort | perceptions of stakeholders on the use of a simplified combined protocol for treatment of acute malnutrition in central african republic |
| topic | Central African Republic combined protocol mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC) ready‐to‐use therapeutic food (RUTF) simplified stakeholders |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13743 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francismngure perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT zacharytausanovitch perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT graceaheymsfield perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT siolomadabebelou perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT parfaitseboulo perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT benedicttabiojongmbeng perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT annemariedembele perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT issaniamantocoulibaly perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT victornikiema perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT jeanettebailey perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic AT suvitkangas perceptionsofstakeholdersontheuseofasimplifiedcombinedprotocolfortreatmentofacutemalnutritionincentralafricanrepublic |