Provision of essential lifesaving nutrition services to children less than five years of age and pregnant and lactating mothers with acute malnutrition in drought affected district of Umerkot in Sindh and Chagai in Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan As per National Nutrition Survey, 2018-19, (preliminary results), Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate is at 29.1 percent in district Umerkot, Sindh, which is in critical range. WHO in collaboration with the government departments  will ensure the provision of life saving nutrition services in  inpatient-care of severely acute malnourished children with complications to drought affected children under 5 and Pregnant and lactating women to prevent and mitigate the negative impact of drought on their lives. 

The proposed intervention is jointly planned with DoH and aimed to fill the critical gaps in the implementation of and continuation of Govt. supported nutrition services through PC1. The overall objective of the nutrition intervention is to ensure the provision of lifesaving nutrition services to severely acutely malnourished children with complications  (boys and girls) and pregnant and lactating women in the drought effected areas. PHPF funding will support the implementation of life saving nutrition services in stabilization centers, one each in Chagi and Umerkot.. This PHPF grant will be implemented in two districts in close collaboration with the departments of health (Nutrition Cell) UNICEF, WFP PPHI and lady health workers programme, PDMAs and stakeholders on multi-sectoral areas as health, food security and WASH cluster and to avoid duplication. 
WHO response strategy will provide basic lifesaving health and nutrition services to the SAM children under 5 years with complications and SAM children under extended OTP approach, where there will be no OTP. Nutrition surveillance system will be established and sentinel sites will be established in both districts to monitor the situation through Lady Health Workers and take timely corrective measures. The interventions will be implemented through integrated approach to address both health and nutrition of the affected population who have challenged access to these services due to their poor socioeconomic situation, nonfunctional government health facilities due to lack of human resources, shortage of medicines, supplies and equipment and will extend lifesaving interventions for SAM children with complications. This grant will contribute towards preventing avoidable morbidity and mortality in SAM children arising from drought related worsening malnutrition.
The activities proposed are in line with the PHPF life-saving criteria and is focusing on treating SAM children with complications under CMAM, as well as SAM children where there will be no OTP under extended OTP approach. The strategy also includes IYCF counselling in facility and strengthening referrals within hospital like outpatient and other departments and strengthening referrals from sentinel and fixed surveillance sites. 
The activities will be implemented under the overall stewardship and in collaboration with the departments of health Sindh and Baluchistan along with other stakeholders. Stabilization center IYCF and surveillance trainings will be conducted to ensure quality implementation and staff’s continuity of job skills enhancement. The overall objective of the project is align with PHPF strategy and provincial action plan for drought response, to ensure the provision of life saving nutrition services for the treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition among children and women.