Emergency Nutrition  Response in Six woredas of Segen and Debub Omo Zones , SNNPR Region, Ethiopia Save the Children proposes to conduct a nutrition emergency intervention to reduce the morbidity and mortality of children aged 0-59 months, pregnant and lactating women due to deterioration of the nutritional status and lack of safe drinking water among severely drought-affected communities in South Omo and Segen Zones of the SNNPR. The project aims to improve the nutritional status of drought-affected communities, through the provision of life -saving and protective nutritional services. Save the Children will implement the intervention focusing on the Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) for the detection and rehabilitation of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) cases among 0-59 months of age. The project will also support optimal IYCF-E practices of infants and young children under-24 month and supporting the nutritional needs and care of pregnant and lactating women.

In health facilities, where CMAM has already been started the project will strengthen the existing system by filling the gaps identified in delivering outpatient therapeutic feeding programmes and inpatient services. There is a critical gap identified and shared by MANTF, which indicates a need to establish 27 OTP sites and 19 SC sites in targeted six woredas.  In others where there is no systemic CMAM intervention yet, the project will establish TSFP, OTP and SC sites as part of availing the basic nutritional supports for the affected community. Some of the planned nutritional interventions includes establishing and strengthening OTP and SC centers for the treatment of acute malnutrition, supporting TSF implementation in collaboration with Woreda Administration/Woreda Health Bureau/Woreda Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Office and World Food Program. Apart from directly supporting the crises response on the ground, the project will also provide capacity-building activities through provision of regular onsite technical and operational support and case management trainings. Save the Children will support regular community mobilization efforts, sensitization and screening activities, and ensures that woreda health staffs and health development armies are adequately trained on operational guidance of IYCF –E Interventions. The project will also support the linkage between nutritional program with routine and campaign immunization programs by covering logistics and mobilization costs. 

SCI will be actively engaged in maintaining smooth referral linkage between OTP, SC and community mobilization. Moreover, Save the Children will strive to strengthen the TSFP in targeted woredas. The aim of the targeted supplementary feeding program is to treat moderately acutely malnourished children and PLW. 

As part of making sure that beneficiary targeting are properly conducted and to ensure that limited resources are used appropriately, SCI will continuously support monitoring the quality of actual measurement activities including but not limited to– measuring weights, heights, MUAC, and edema. Accordingly, SC’s supervision and monitoring activities will make sure that they are measured accurately and are in line with the national guidelines.