Treatment and prevention of moderate acute malnutrition the provinces most affected by COVID-19 in Afghanistan. The COVID-19 pandemic is currently the most critical global concern with a potential for causing the highest mortality rates across the world in 2020. With limitations in the Afghanistan’s ability to fully control the transmission especially from populations moving into the country from the neighbouring states (Iran and Pakistan), it is anticipated that the spread will continue to provinces beyond those in the immigration/cross-border belt. Just like other countries, the scale and nature of the spread of COVID-19 has so far resulted into various actions such as border closures, internal and external movement restrictions, suspension and or closure of several socio-economic activities including schools. As a result, people are cut off from their normal livelihoods, access to basic services is significantly reduced causing a drastic deterioration of food and nutrition security. Most affected are individuals who are already malnourished while many at borderline food insecurity are at the highest risk of dropping into the food insecure category resulting into a higher likelihood of getting of malnourished. It is therefore anticipated that the rates of malnutrition will rise during this period.

As part of the response, and in line with the Nutrition cluster COVID-19 response plan and priorities, WFP plans to activate an emergency COVID-response that will aim at providing a malnutrition preventive safety net in the most affected locations. WFP will target the most vulnerable households with pregnant and breast-feeding women and children below 5 years of age in the highest risk COVID-19 districts and will provide unconditional nutrition assistance through a blanket supplementary feeding programme. The households in these districts will be identified with support of the WFP VAM team and in collaboration with other stakeholders. 
In addition, WFP will strengthen MAM treatment services in line with COVID-19 guideline on continuity for IMAM services. These will specifically be implemented in selected districts with the highest COVID-19 Burden. In these locations, in addition to static health facilities WFP will engage mobile health teams who will extend services to community level with the aim of preventing movement of clients but rather reaching out to them in much smaller groups that can be manged to adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures such as social distancing, use of personal protective equipment and sanitizing . WFP will further ensure that Nutrition assistance and related commodities are provided only once instead of twice a month to further minimize the potential spread of the virus through frequent contact. WFP will also try to ensure that through its cooperating partners, and in collaboration with MoPH, appropriate COVID-19 prevention messaging, hand sanitizing facilities and use of PPEs by service providers are applied and made available at distribution sites to protect both clients and service providers. 

This proposal focuses on the procurement of specialized nutritious foods for treatment and prevention of moderate acute in children and PLW (Pregnant and Lactating Women) in the prioritized provinces and districts. With the US$ 1,028,622 from AHF 3rd Reserve Allocation WFP will procure 114 mt AchaMum, 193 mt Supercereal, and 74 mt WawaMum this quantity can cover MAM treatment needs for 12,600 children and 2,640 pregnant and lactating women in the 23 prioritized districts located in the 8 provinces of Farah, Ghor, Herat, Balkh, Badghis, Takhar, Kunduz and Faryab. In addition, about 16,381 children and 4,170 PLW will be reached with preventive nutrition support.

Upon funding approval using its Global Commodity Management Facility WFP will start SNF procurement to reduce lead time. Additionally, WFP may also draw commodity loans from other projects with some existing stocks to cover the needs in the targeted locations for the first 2 - 3 months as the other commodities are secured.