Provision of life saving emergency Nutrition assistance through management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with medical complication in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) State. Plan International Nigeria (PLAN) will execute a 6 month program by focusing on improving access and coverage of quality lifesaving emergency nutrition services through integrating with existing health service and psychosocial support in BAY states. The project will strengthen the capacity of government healthcare providers on the management of SAM with medical complications in Stabilization Centers (SC) to ensure the continuity and sustainability of these vital services in their respected general hospital. The project will treat SAM cases with Medical complication and/or appetite test failed in established SCs, feeding with formula milk, treating and following up the medical condition of the children and take their anthropometric measurement until the children are fully recovered from the medical problems. The project will further provide stimulation, psychosocial support and counselling services and promote Optimal IYCF (Infant and Young Child Feeding) practices. The planned project will reach a total of 911 children (465 girls amp446 boys) under five-years of age in 4 (four) decentralized SCs in BAY state. The proposed activities will strengthen the management of acute malnutrition in BAY state by providing inpatient management of SAM in hospitals (SC sites) through re-establishing and establishment of new and existing SC sites to provide service for IDPs, returns and host communities in the targeted LGAs (Local Government Areas). In the course of its execution, the project shall integrate gender responsive messaging and child safeguarding in its community engagement processes, share information, encourage discussions and address gender and safeguarding issues that impact on optimal IYCF. In addition, the project will raise awareness on COVID-19, amp Monkeypox mode of transmission and gender responsive and inclusive prevention strategies. The project will also provide technical amp logistical support and strengthen the supportive supervision and monitoring system of SAM case management to the targeted hospital of the LGAs. The project will focus on supporting the most vulnerable population groups, specifically children under five years of age, caretakers of SAM children, caretakers of SAM children who are living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Plan International will integrate management of complicated SAM cases into existing health services in each general hospital and in the LGA health system using State Primary Health Care and Development Agency (SPHCDA) and hospital staff and activating the LGA coordination meeting in all targeted LGAs.
At project start-up, Plan International Nigeria will prioritize identifying Complicated SAM cases to facilitate access to life-saving services for children under five years of age and to enable management of these SAM cases in collaboration with SPHCDA and Hospital Board Management (HBM) staff. PLAN will strengthen the capacity of the government service providers as well as parents, guardians and caretakers to prevent malnutrition and respond to the treatment of complicated SAM cases and we will work closely with government and partners working in each LGA. The project will strengthen accountability to beneficiaries through the establishment and strengthening of an inclusive and appropriate community and facility -based complaints and feedback mechanism that will allow women, girls, men, and boys to safely report concerns of the emergency nutrition response in their respective Hospital. The project also will ensure gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation is undertaken by dis aggregating all data by sex, age, disability and creating complimentary qualitative and quantitative indicators.