Resources

Click > Nutrition & Malnutrition Resources specifically for India

In order to provide more comprehensive and meaningful search results on our site, several reports are available for viewing and download directly. Kindly visit the main sites of the author organisations for more complete and updated information. We acknowledge our gratitude to the many people and sources whose work has been drawn freely upon. We thank them all.

The mission of The Countdown to 2015 is to track progress made towards the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals 1, 4 and 5 and promote evidence-based information for better health investments and decisions by policy-makers regarding health needs at the country level. Countdown to 2015   111 pages 4.2 mb Tracking Progress in Maternal, Newborn & Child Survival - The 2008 Report

World Population Highlights 2007: Malnutrition

This article is excerpted from the Population Bulletin, "World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet." (PDF: 945KB)
16 pages - 972 kb - download   pdf document

How are we doing on poverty and hunger reduction?   12 pages 313 kb A new measure of country performance Ugo Gentilini, Patrick Webb The paper presents a new composite indicator – the Poverty and Hunger Index (PHI) – to measure countries’ performance towards achieving MDG1 on halving poverty and hunger by 2015. The PHI combines all five official MDG1 indicators, including a) the proportion of population living on less than US$ 1/day, b) poverty gap ratio, c) share of the poorest quintile in national income or consumption, d) prevalence of underweight in children under five years of age, and d) the proportion of population undernourished. Data for the five MDG1 indicators are compiled for the 81 countries which together account for 90 percent of the world poverty and 85 percent of global undernourishment. The analysis shows a weak correlation between undernourishment and child underweight; this is in line with a growing body of evidence documenting that reducing income poverty or improving the food supply without changing the way young children are fed and cared for does little to reduce levels of undernutrition among children.

A Toolkit for Addressing Nutrition in Emergency Situations   87 pages 583kb June 2008 - Nutrition Cluster - The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) The basic right to adequate food and nutrition is implicit in any emergency response and is reflected in humanitarian law. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide an easy reference tool for nutritional response during and after an emergency situation. Too often, in the high-pressure context of emergencies, key aspects of nutritional health and well-being are not adequately addressed. Poor decisions are made in the short-term, which have long-term negative impacts on the nutritional stability of the affected populations. Failure to meet the nutritional needs of populations in emergencies jeopardizes the ability to resist and fight infectious diseases. Growth and development, particularly of children and women, is disrupted resulting in increased childhood malnutrition, poor reproductive health and worsening pregnancy outcomes. The Interventions   1. Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies   2. Treatment of diarrhoea with ORT/Zinc   3. Prevention and Treatment of Vitamin A Deficiency   4. Prevention and Treatment of Micronutrient Deficiencies   5. Management of Moderate Acute Malnutrition   6. Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition   7. Nutrition, HIV and AIDS   8. The Psychosocial Components of Nutrition   9. Nutritional care for Groups with Special Needs 10. The Use and Role of Food Assistance 11. Food Handling, Storage and Preparation 12. Household Food Security and Livelihoods

Improving the nutrition status of children and women  6 pages 371kb research findings for development policymakers and practitioners id21 insights 73 - July 2008 The high world food prices that we are currently experiencing provide a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of large parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to hunger and undernutrition. Many children in these regions are vulnerable to poor growth, poor development and death.

Sight and Life Magazine - Issue 1/2008   64 pages 3.4mb Perhaps the most far-reaching of SIGHT AND LIFE’s knowledge-based initiatives is the publication of the SIGHT AND LIFE Magazine, which carries news, features, letters and editorials on nutrition and health-related projects and research activities – supported by SIGHT AND LIFE or otherwise – from on-the-ground practioners as well as leading experts and policymakers in public health and nutrition. Through the Magazine, SIGHT AND LIFE seeks to provide faster access to new and reusable knowledge and insight to people at all levels of practice from people at all levels of engagement in the fight against Hidden Hunger. Magazine Archive This issue: Folic Acid and Arsenic; Combating Vitamin A Deficiency; in Eight Countries; National Family Health Survey of India; Night Blindness in India; Vitamin A Deficiency in Ethiopia; KAP on Iron Deficiency; NIH Vitamin D Conference; A Day in the Life; Critical Review on Vitamin D; News; Letters to the Editor; Publications

Infant and Young Child Feeding and Nutrition

Feeding is a critical aspect of caring for infants and young children. Appropriate feeding practices stimulate bonding with the caregiver and psycho-social development. They lead to improved nutrition and physical growth, reduced susceptibility to common childhood infections and better resistance to cope with them. Improved health outcomes in young children have long-lasting health effects throughout the life-span, including increased performance and productivity, and reduced risk of certain non-communicable diseases.

• Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding
• Exclusive Breastfeeding
• Complementary Feeding
• Feeding in Exceptionally Difficult Circumstances including HIV)
• HIV and Infant Feeding

Child Feeding and Nutrition ( 2-5 years age )

Malnutrition contributes to more than half of all childhood deaths, although it is rarely listed as the direct cause. For most children, lack of access to food is not the only cause of malnutrition. Poor feeding practices and infection, or a combination of the two, are both major factors of malnutrition. Infection - particularly frequent or persistent diarrhoea, pneumonia, measles and malaria - undermines nutritional status. Poor feeding practices, such as inadequate breastfeeding, offering the wrong foods, giving insufficient quantities, and not ensuring that the child gets enough food, contribute to malnutrition.

Malnourished children are, in turn, more vulnerable to disease and the vicious circle is established.

Improved feeding practices to prevent or treat malnutrition could save 800,000 lives per year.

• Counselling for mothers and caretakers
• Micronutrient supplements
• Management of severe malnutrition

Adolescent Nutrition

Adolescence represents a window of opportunity to prepare for a healthy adult life. During adolescence, nutritional problems originating earlier in life can potentially be corrected, in addition to addressing current ones. It is also a timely period to shape and consolidate healthy eating and lifestyle behaviours, thereby preventing or postponing the onset of nutrition-related chronic diseases in adulthood.

As adolescents have a low prevalence of infections such as pneumonia and gastroenteritis compared with younger children, and of chronic disease compared with ageing people, they have generally been given little health and nutrition attention, except for reproductive health concerns. However, there are nutritional issues, which are adolescent-specific, and which call for specific strategies and approaches.

The main issues in adolescent nutrition are:

• Micronutrient deficiencies (iron deficiency and anaemia)
• Malnutrition and stunting
• Obesity and other nutrition-related chronic diseases
• Adolescents eating patterns and lifestyles
• Nutrition in relation to early pregnancy

WHO, UNICEF, and SCN Informal Consultation on Community-Based Management of Severe Malnutrition in Children 108 pages 2mb Claudine Prudhon, André Briend, Zita Weise Prinzo, Bernadette M.E.G. Daelmans, and John B. Mason, guest editors SCN Nutrition Policy Paper No. 21 Putting the management of severe malnutrition back on the international health agenda Severe malnutrition, defined by severe wasting (weight-for-height < –3 z-scores or < 70% of the median National Center for Health Statistics/World Health Organization [NCHS/WHO] reference) and/or the presence of nutritional oedema, is a life-threatening condition requiring urgent treatment. How many lives would better treatment of severe child malnutrition save? Severe malnutrition: Report of a consultation to review current literature 52 pages 356kb Nutrition for Health and Development, World Health Organization Community-Based Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition 8 pages 393kb A Joint Statement by the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition and the United Nations Children’s Fund Severe acute malnutrition remains a major killer of children under five years of age. Until recently, treatment has been restricted to facility-based approaches, greatly limiting its coverage and impact. New evidence suggests, however, that large numbers of children with severe acute malnutrition can be treated in their communities without being admitted to a health facility or a therapeutic feeding centre. The community-based approach involves timely detection of severe acute malnutrition in the community and provision of treatment for those without medical complications with ready-to-use therapeutic foods or other nutrient-dense foods at home. If properly combined with a facility-based approach for those malnourished children with medical complications and implemented on a large scale, community-based management of severe acute malnutrition could prevent the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children.

Assessment of Severe Malnutrition Among Hospitalized Children in Rural Kenya Comparison of Weight for Height and Mid Upper Arm Circumference 7 pages 135kb Context Severe malnutrition has a high mortality rate among hospitalized children in sub-Saharan Africa. However, reports suggest that malnutrition is often poorly assessed. The World Health Organization recommends using weight for height, but this method is problematic and often not undertaken in practice. Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and the clinical sign "visible severe wasting" are simple and inexpensive methods but have not been evaluated in this setting. Objectives To evaluate MUAC and visible severe wasting as predictors of inpatient mortality at a district hospital in sub-Saharan Africa and to compare these with weightfor- height z score (WHZ).

Every death counts: use of mortality audit data for decision making to save the lives of mothers, babies, and children in South Africa 11 pages 647kb South Africa is one of the few developing countries with a national confi dential inquiry into maternal deaths. 164 health facilities obtain audit data for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, and a new audit network does so for child deaths. Three separate reports have been published, providing valuable information about avoidable causes of death for mothers, babies, and children. These reports make health-system recommendations, many of which overlap and are intertwined with the scarcity of progress in addressing HIV/AIDS. The leaders of these three reports have united to prioritise actions to save the lives of South Africa's mothers, babies, and children. The country is off -track for the health-related Millennium Development Goals. Mortality in children younger than 5 years has increased, whereas maternal and neonatal mortality remain constant. This situation indicates the challenge of strengthening the health system because of high inequity and HIV/AIDS. Coverage of services is fairly high, but addressing the gaps in quality and equity is essential to increasing the number of lives saved. Consistent leadership and accountability to address crosscutting health system and equity issues, and to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, would save tens of thousands of lives every year. Audit is powerful, but only if the data lead to action.

Guidance on provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling in health facilities 60 pages 2.3mb - WHO - UNAIDS - HIV/AIDS Programme - Strengthening health services to fight HIV/AIDS

Guidelines for the Implementation of Reliable and Efficient diagnostic HIV Testing  48 pages 565kb - PAHO - WHO - Technical series on HIV comprehensive care with public health approach (CC-VIH)

Breast Crawl Initiation of Breastfeeding by Breast Crawl visit breastcrawl.org for video and complete dossier. UNICEF, WHO and WABA along with the scientific community strongly recommend initiating breastfeeding within an hour of birth.   Evidence shows that early initiation can prevent 22% of all deaths among babies below one month in developing countries. Every newborn, when placed on the mother's abdomen, soon after birth, has the ability to find its mother's breast all on its own and to decide when to take the first breastfeed. This is called the "Breast Crawl". This method is evidence based and has been field tested by us. A documentary on the "Breast Crawl" has been prepared for training, advocacy and for wider dissemination. The video has created a very high level of sensitivity among all the levels of functionaries and was officially endorsed by senior policy makers as the right approach for initiating breastfeeding. This dossier provides the background and a scientific overview to the documentary. We are sure that this documentary and dossier will greatly help similar initiatives worldwide. It is our strong desire that this information helps every mother and baby to experience the miracle of Breast Crawl. If we all could achieve early initiation of breastfeeding, we will be able to prevent 22% of all deaths among babies below 1 month. This can be achieved by training all health care providers to initiate breastfeeding, by Breast Crawl, to give infants the best start in life.

Community-based management of severe acute malnutrition A Joint Statement by the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition and the United Nations Children's Fund Severe acute malnutrition remains a major killer of children under five years of age. Until recently, treatment has been restricted to facility-based approaches, greatly limiting its coverage and impact. New evidence suggests, however, that large numbers of children with severe acute malnutrition can be treated in their communities without being admitted to a health facility or a therapeutic feeding centre. The community-based approach involves timely detection of severe acute malnutrition in the community and provision of treatment for those without medical complications with ready-to-use therapeutic foods or other nutrient-dense foods at home. If properly combined with a facility-based approach for those malnourished children with medical complications and implemented on a large scale, community-based management of severe acute malnutrition could prevent the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children. Joint statement English 392kb | French 755kb Press release English | French | Spanish | Russian | Arabic | Chinese

The WHO Child Growth Standards

India - National Workshop on Adoption of New WHO Child Growth Standards

The WHO web site presents complete information on the WHO Child Growth Standards.

These standards were developed using data collected in the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study. The site presents documentation on how the physical growth curves and motor milestone windows of achievement were developed as well as application tools to support implementation of the standards.

Documentation
The following documents describe the sample and methods used to construct the standards and present the final charts.

WHO Child Growth Standards: Methods and development
Acta Paediatrica Supplement
Chart catalogue | en español

Indicators
The following links provide access to the first and second set of the WHO child growth standards (0-60 months):

:: Length/height-for-age
:: Weight-for-age
:: Weight-for-length
:: Weight-for-height
:: Body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age)
:: Head circumference-for-age
:: Arm circumference-for-age
:: Subscapular skinfold-for-age
:: Triceps skinfold-for-age
:: Motor development milestones

Backgrounders

What are the WHO Child Growth Standards? English [pdf 65kb] | French [pdf 69kb] | Spanish [pdf 63kb]	What impact will the WHO Child Growth Standards have? English [pdf 65kb] | French [pdf 67kb] | Spanish [pdf 66kb]
WHO Child Growth Standards and Infant and Young Child Feeding English [pdf 57kb] | French [pdf 55kb] | Spanish [pdf 55kb]	WHO Child Growth Standards and the double burden of malnutrition English [pdf 60kb] | French [pdf 59kb] | Spanish [pdf 59kb]

WHO Child Growth Standards - Methods and development Length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-length, weight-for-height and body mass index-for-age pdf 26.6 mb - 336 pages In 1993 the World Health Organization (WHO) undertook a comprehensive review of the uses and interpretation of anthropometric references. The review concluded that the NCHS/WHO growth reference, which had been recommended for international use since the late 1970s, did not adequately represent early childhood growth and that new growth curves were necessary. The World Health Assembly endorsed this recommendation in 1994. In response WHO undertook the Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) between 1997 and 2003 to generate new curves for assessing the growth and development of children the world over.

The MGRS combined a longitudinal follow-up from birth to 24 months and a cross-sectional survey of children aged 18 to 71 months. Primary growth data and related information were gathered from 8440 healthy breastfed infants and young children from widely diverse ethnic backgrounds and cultural settings (Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and USA). The MGRS is unique in that it was purposely designed to produce a standard by selecting healthy children living under conditions likely to favour the achievement of their full genetic growth potential. Furthermore, the mothers of the children selected for the construction of the standards engaged in fundamental health-promoting practices, namely breastfeeding and not smoking.
 

Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding WHO - UNICEF pdf 440 kb - 37 pages WHO and UNICEF jointly developed the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding to revitalize world attention to the impact that feeding practices have on the nutritional status, growth and development, health, and thus the very survival of infants and young children. The Global Strategy is based on the evidence of nutrition's significance in the early months and years of life, and of the crucial role that appropriate feeding practices play in achieving optimal health outcomes. Lack of breastfeeding - and especially lack of exclusive breastfeeding during the first half-year of life - are important risk factors for infant and childhood morbidity and mortality that are only compounded by inappropriate complementary feeding. The life-long impact includes poor school performance, reduced productivity, and impaired intellectual and social development.

Management of Severe Malnutrition: A Manual for Physicians and Other Senior Health Workers pdf 1.2 mb - 68 pages Malnutrition remains one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children throughout the world. Approximately 9% of children below 5 years of age suffer from wasting (weight-for-height below 22 standard deviations (,22 SD) of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/WHO reference values) and are at risk of death or severe impairment of growth and psychological development.

This manual is based on The treatment and management of severe protein-energy malnutrition, which was published by WHO in 1981. Since then, many advances have been made in the treatment of severe malnutrition. An improved oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution has been developed for the treatment of dehydration. Advances in knowledge of the physiological roles of micronutrients have led to improved dietary management during the initial phase of treatment. It has been shown that physical and psychological stimulation, as well as care and affection, are necessary during the rehabilitation phase in order to prevent retardation of growth and psychological development.

This manual provides guidelines for the treatment of severely malnourished children (below 5 years of age) in hospitals and health centres. The treatment of severely malnourished adolescents and adults is also briefly considered. The manual is intended for health personnel working at central and district level, including physicians, nurses, midwives and auxiliaries.
 

Repositioning Nutrition as Central to Development A Strategy for Large-Scale Action - 2006 pdf 1.6 mb - 272 pages - original at World Bank site Persistent malnutrition contributes not only to widespread failure to meet the first Millennium Development Goal—to halve poverty and hunger—but also to meet other goals related to maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, education, and gender equity. Underweight prevalence among children is the key indicator for measuring progress on nonincome poverty, and malnutrition remains the world's most serious health problem—as well as the single largest contributor to child mortality. Nearly one-third of children in the developing world are underweight or stunted, and more than 30 percent of the developing world's population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies. Moreover, new malnutrition problems are emerging: the epidemic of obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases is spreading to the developing world, and malnutrition is linked to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Repositioning Nutrition as Central to Development: A Strategy for Large-Scale Action makes the case that development partners and developing countries must increase investment in nutrition programs. This case is based on evidence that the scale of the problem is very large and that nutrition interventions are essential for speeding poverty reduction, have high benefit-cost ratios, and can improve nutrition much faster than reliance on economic growth alone. Moreover, improved nutrition can drive economic growth. The report proposes to the international development community and national governments a global strategy for accelerated action in nutrition.

Counting on Communication: The Uganda Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Project - 2005 - World Bank Working Paper No. 59 pdf 3.2 mb - 56 pages - original at World Bank site Counting on Communication is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. This publication is the first in a series of Working Papers sponsored by the Development Communication Division (DevComm) of the World Bank's External Affairs Vice-Presidency. This series is designed to share innovations and lessons learned in the application of strategic communication in development projects. Together with other donors, NGOs, and private sector partners, DevComm seeks to mainstream the discipline of development communication in development practice.

The Uganda Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Project was one of DevComm's first projects to demonstrate the valueadded of strategic communication. The strategic communication component developed for this project included the use of formative research about values and attitudes with respect to child rearing, in order to develop and test effective messages. The communication strategy was developed in a highly participatory manner and included nurturing a team of champions for the project among policymakers, district officials, community leaders, and grassroots organizations to advocate for the project. It also included two-way communication activities developed to address the practices and behaviours that would need to be changed in order for the project to be successful, rather than merely disseminating messages based on assumptions of project benefits.

World Bank Working Papers are available individually or by subscription, both in print and online.

Severe Malnutrition

List of publications

Management of severe malnutrition: a manual for physicians and other senior health workers Geneva, World Health Organization, 1999 Chinese version under preparation. Farsi and Indonesian versions available in-country. Cover [pdf 465kb] | English [pdf 1.46Mb] | French [pdf 878kb] | Spanish [pdf 142kb] | Portuguese [pdf 263kb] | To order a hard copy

This manual provides expert practical guidelines for the management of severely malnourished children. Addressed to doctors and other senior health workers, the manual explains exactly what must be done to save lives, achieve successful management and rehabilitation, prevent relapse, and thus give these children the greatest chance of full recovery. Throughout, the importance of treating severe malnutrition as both a medical and a social disorder is repeatedly emphasized. As successful management does not require sophisticated facilities and equipment or highly qualified personnel, the manual also performs a persuasive function, encouraging health professionals to do all they can to save these children and meet their great need for care and affection. Recommended procedures draw on extensive practical experience as well as several recent therapeutic advances. These include improved solutions of oral rehydration salts for the treatment of dehydration, better understanding of the role of micronutrients in dietary management, and growing evidence that physical and psychological stimulation can help prevent long-term consequences of impaired growth and psychological development. Noting that the physiology of malnourished children is seriously abnormal, the manual gives particular attention to aspects of management - whether involving the interpretation of symptoms or the use of specific interventions - that differ considerably from standard procedures for well-nourished children. Details range from the reasons why IV infusion easily causes overhydration and heart failure, through a list of treatments that have no value and should never be used, to the simple reminder that underarm temperature is not a reliable guide to body temperature in a malnourished child during rewarming. Further practical guidance is provided in eight appendices, which use numerous tables, charts, sample recording forms, instructions for preparing feeds, and examples of easily constructed toys to help ensure that management is thorough, safe, and in line with the latest knowledge.

Severe malnutrition: report of a consultation to review current literature Geneva, World Health Organization, 6-7 September 2004 Cover [pdf 422kb] | Full text [pdf 364kb]

Guidelines for the inpatient treatment of severely malnourished children Geneva, World Health Organization, 2003.   Cover [pdf 45kb] | English [pdf 400kb] | French [pdf 1.42Mb] | Spanish [pdf 687kb] | To order a hard copy

Training course on the management of severe malnutrition Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002 Full course under preparation in Arabic and Dari. Flyer available in different languages.   English [pdf 146kb] | French [pdf 1.18Mb] | Spanish [pdf 1.18Mb] | Portuguese [pdf 1.18Mb] | Russian [pdf 235kb] | Arabic [pdf 186kb]

Related publications

Management of the child with a serious infection or severe malnutrition: Guidelines for care at first referral level in developing countries
Geneva, World Health Organization, 2000

English [pdf 2.2Mb] | French [pdf 2.3Mb] | HTML format

Pocket book of hospital care for children: guidelines for the management of common illnesses with limited resources
Geneva, World Health Organization, 2005
High resolution [pdf 10.3Mb] | Low resolution [pdf 2 Mb]

Community-based management of severe malnutrition in children

In preparation for the joint WHO/SCN/UNICEF Meeting on Community-based Management of Severe Malnutrition in Children conducted in November 2005, four background papers were commissioned by the Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development and by the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development of WHO. A fifth paper was written by an NGO. These papers can be downloaded from this web page. The meeting report and the background paper are presented by a short introduction paper.

Introduction
Briend A, Prudhon C, Weise Prinzo Z, Daelmans B, Mason J. Putting back the management of severe malnutrition on the international health agenda

Full text [pdf 46kb]

Meeting report

Proceedings of the WHO, UNICEF and SCN Informal Consultation on Community-Based Management of Severe Malnutrition in Children

Full text [pdf 556kb]

Background papers

• Myatt M, Khara T, Collins S. A review of methods to detect cases of severely malnourished children in the community for their admission into community-based therapeutic care programs - Full text [pdf 297kb]
   

• Ashworth A. Efficacy and effectiveness of community-based treatment of severe malnutrition - Full text [pdf 936kb]
   

• Collins S, Sadler K, Dent N, Khara T, GuerreroS, Myatt M, Saboya M, Walsh A. Key issues in the success of community-based management of severe malnutrition - Full text [pdf 444kb]

• Manary M. Local production and provision of ready-to-use therapeutic food for the treatment of severe childhood malnutrition - Full text [pdf 142kb]

• Gatchell V, Forsythe V, Thomas PR. The sustainability of Community-based Therapeutic Care (CTC) in non-acute emergency contexts - Full text [pdf 96kb]

	2. Community-based management of severe malnutrition in children Severe malnutrition is a life threatening condition requiring urgent treatment. Until recently, the recommendation was to refer these children to hospital to receive therapeutic diets along with medical care. The situation changed recently with the advent of ready to use therapeutic foods (RUTF) which allows the management in the community of large numbers of children who are severely malnourished without medical complications.
A meeting of experts was organized by the Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development and the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development of the WHO, by UNICEF and the UN Standing committee on Nutrition in Geneva on 21-23rd November 2005 to review these recent developments and formulate recommendations. The report of this meeting is available on this web page. It is expected that implementation of these community-based interventions on a large scale along with a strengthening of referral facilities for severely malnourished children with complications could transform the lives of millions of these children. :: Download documents Introduction, Meeting report and Background papers Joint Statement
Community-based management of severe acute malnutrition A Joint Statement by the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition and the United Nations Children's Fund Full information Community-based management of severe acute malnutrition English 383 KB  |  French 738 KB SCN Nutrition Policy Paper No. 21 WHO, UNICEF, and SCN informal consultation on community-based management of severe malnutrition in children 2.041 MB Putting back the management of severe malnutrition on the international health agenda 45 KB Proceedings of the WHO, UNICEF and SCN Informal Consultation on community-based management of severe malnutrition in children 542 KB A review of methods to detect cases of severely malnourished children in the community for their admission into community-based therapeutic care programs 290 KB Efficacy and effectiveness of community-based treatment of severe malnutrition 914 KB Key issues in the success of community-based management of severe malnutrition 434 KB Local production and provision of ready-to-use therapeutic food for the treatment of severe childhood malnutrition 140 KB The sustainability of Community-based Therapeutic Care (CTC) in non-acute emergency contexts 94 KB

Inpatient treatment of severe malnutrition

Training courses

Training Course on the Management of Severe Malnutrition in Hospitals
Kabul, Afghanistan, 8 - 19 June 2002
Full text [pdf 128kb]

Training Course on the Management of Severe Malnutrition
Banjul, The Gambia, 25 June - 5 July 2002
Full text [pdf 78kb]

Inter-Country Training Workshop on Management of Severe Malnutrition, ICDDR'B Hospital
Dhaka, Bangladesh, 11 - 22 December 2002.
Full text [pdf 95kb] 

Training Course on the Management of Severe Malnutrition
Blantyre, Malawi, 24 April to 3 May 2003
Full text [pdf 36kb]

Facilitators' Training on the Management of Severe Childhood Malnutrition in Hospitals
Lusaka, Zambia, 3 - 8 August 2003.
Full text [pdf 19kb]

National Training Course on the Management of Severe Malnutrition
Livingstone, Zambia, 10-17 November 2003
Full text [pdf 54kb]

National Training Course for Improving management of Severe Malnutrition
Maseru, Lesotho, 20 November - 6 December 2003
Full text [pdf 28kb]

Inter-country Training Workshop on Management of Severe Childhood Malnutrition
National Pediatric Hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 26 November - 6 December, 2003.
Full text [pdf 212kb]

Training Course on the Management Severe Malnutrition
La Paz, Bolivia, 2-12 February 2004
Full text [pdf 215kb]

National Training Course on the Management of Severe Malnutrition
Mbabane, Swaziland, 9-21 February 2004
Full text [pdf 18kb]

Facilitator Training in the Management of Severely Malnourish Children in Hospitals
Lahore, Pakistan, 7-10 March 2005
Full text [pdf 63kb]

World Food Programme Presentations

	ending child hunger and undernutrition initiative - Copenhagen, 19 June 2006 overview of issues and moving forward World Health Organization Presentation: flash 785 kb  |  powerpoint 2.6 mb
	Providing an 'essential package' for child survival: WFP and UNICEF in Ethiopia Government of Ethiopia - World Food Programme - UNICEF World Health Organization Presentation:  flash 100 kb  |  powerpoint 666 kb
	End Child Hunger and Undernutrition Initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean United in the Battle to End Child Hunger - WFP Global Meeting Copenhagen - June 2006 World Food Programme - UNICEF World Health Organization Presentation:  flash 187 kb  |  powerpoint 424 kb

Facts for Life saves lives! What is Facts for Life Every year, nearly 11 million children die from preventable causes before reaching their fifth birthday. Millions more survive only to face diminished futures, unable to develop to their full potential. Many of these deaths can be avoided if parents and caregivers understand what to do when illness strikes and how to recognize the danger signs that signal the need for medical help. Facts for Life presents, in simple language, the most authoritative information about practical, effective and low-cost ways to protect children's lives and health. Everyone has the right to know this information. English  |  Hindi

click to enlarge

The Management of Diarrhoea and Use of Oral Rehydration Therapy - Second Edition - A Joint WHO/UNICEF Statement Audience: prepared by WHO/UNICEF 1992 30 pages - pdf 626 kb

click to enlarge

Prevention and Control of Nutritional Anaemia: A South Asia Priority Audience: United Nations Children's Fund - Regional Office for South Asia - 2002 16 pages - pdf 2 mb

click to enlarge

Preventing and Controlling Iron Deficiency Anaemia Through Primary Health Care Audience: A Guide for Health Administrators and Programme Managers E. M. DeMaeyer Formerly Medical Officer, Nutrition, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland with the collaboration of P. Dallman, J. M. Gurney, L. Hallberg, S. K. Sood & S. G. Srikantia 1989 61 pages - pdf 1.7 mb

Off-site links

Pathfinder International is pleased to announce the publication of Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV through Dried Blood Spot Testing: Pathfinder International/Kenya's Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Project. Pathfinder/Kenya integrated dried blood spot testing for early infant
diagnosis of HIV into its prevention of mother-to-child transmission project in August 2006. This paper describes the process of dried blood spot testing and provides results from the project's first year of implementation.

The document can be downloaded at http://www.pathfind.org/Pubs_AIDS

Hard copies are available by contacting: tech-comm@pathfind.org

Please pass this message on to interested colleagues. If you're interested in receiving emails about other Pathfinder International projects, you may sign up for email updates here:
http://www.pathfind.org/Register
 

Publications by Theme

HIV/AIDS

(PDFs are viewed with the free Acrobat Reader)

The Essentials of Antiretroviral Therapy for Health Care and Program Managers, 2007 This document provides basic information and practical guidance on antiretroviral therapy and wider care and treatment issues for program implementers and health care managers. It includes information on vigorous prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections, nutrition support, and spiritual, psychosocial, and economic support, and discusses community participation and services necessary for use of facility-based services.

Community Home-Based Care for People and Communities Affected by HIV/AIDS, 2006  A Comprehensive Training Course and Handbook for Community Health Workers.

	HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets These two-page fact sheets highlight Pathfinder's prevention, care, and support projects in 13 countries, as well as Pathfinder's expertise in key HIV/AIDS program areas, such as home-based care and prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Mapping of Community Home-Based Care Services in Five Regions of the Tanzania Mainland, 2006 The study documents the concerns of people living with HIV/AIDS, community health workers, primary care providers, and other stakeholders to inform Pathfinder's support to national efforts to scale-up community home-based care. The proposed project aims to replicate Pathfinder's successful community home-based care model in other areas and improve access to home-based care for more Tanzanians.

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Where There Is No Doctor
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Where There Is No Doctor

Where There Is No Doctor A village health care handbook by David Werner with Carol Thuman and Jane Maxwell Updated 2003 - 512 pages, illustrated - English ed. ISBN: 0-942364-15-5 Hesperian's classic manual, Where There Is No Doctor, is perhaps the most widely used health care manual for health workers, clinicians, and others involved in primary health care delivery and health promotion programs around the world. With millions of copies in print in more than 70 languages, the book is an irreplaceable health resource in communities worldwide. As with all Hesperian books, the manual provides practical, easily understood information on how to diagnose, treat, and prevent common diseases. Special attention is focused on nutrition, infection and disease prevention, as well as the use of diagnostic techniques as primary ways to prevent and treat health problems. The entire book is now available for download in pdf format To buy the complete book, visit our online store

• Front matter: Cover, How to Use This Book, Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents: Introduction, Note About This New Edition
• Brown Pages: Words To The Village Health Worker
• Chapter 1: Home Cures and Popular Beliefs
• Chapter 2: Sicknesses that are Often Confused
• Chapter 3: How to Examine a Sick Person
• Chapter 4: How to Take Care of a Sick Person
• Chapter 5: Healing Without Medicines
• Chapter 6: Right and Wrong Use of Modern Medicines
• Chapter 7: Antibiotics: What They Are and How To Use Them
• Chapter 8: How To Measure and Give Medicine
• Chapter 9: Instructions and Precautions for Injections
• Chapter 10: First Aid
• Chapter 11: Nutrition: What to Eat to Be Healthy
• Chapter 12: Prevention: How to Avoid Many Sicknesses
• Chapter 13: Some Very Common Sicknesses
• Chapter 14: Serious Illnesses That Need Special Medical Attention
• Chapter 15: Skin Problems
• Chapter 16: The Eyes
• Chapter 17: The Teeth, Gums, and Mouth
• Chapter 18: The Urinary System and the Genitals
• Chapter 19: Information for Mothers and Midwives
• Chapter 20: Family Planning- Having the Number of Children You Want
• Chapter 21: Health and Sicknesses of Children
• Chapter 22: Health and Sicknesses of Older People
• Chapter 23: The Medicine Kit
• The Green Pages: The Uses, Dosage, and Precautions for Medicines
• The Blue Pages: New Information
• Vocabulary: Explaining Difficult Words
• Information: Addresses for Teaching Materials, Dosage Blanks, Patient Report, Information on Vital Signs, Abbreviations, Weight, Volume
• Index (Yellow Pages)

Where Women Have No Doctor

Where Women Have No Doctor A health guide for women by A. August Burns, Ronnie Lovich, Jane Maxwell, and Katharine Shapiro paperback - 596 pages, illustrated - English ed. ISBN: 0-942364-25-2 Where Women Have No Doctor combines self-help medical information with the tools for organizing against the poverty and discrimination that impacts women's health and access to medical care. The first community-based health book for women, Where Women Have No Doctor serves as an essential resource for any woman or girl wanting to improve her health. Developed with the help of community-based groups, village health workers, and women's health experts in more than 30 countries, the manual gives treatment information for many health problems that affect only women or affect women differently from men. Topics covered include: ways to stay healthy; understanding the reproductive parts of women's bodies; mental health; politics of women's health; nutrition; pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding; HIV/AIDS and other STI's; rape and violence against women; health concerns of girls, women with disabilities, refugee women, and older women; how to use medicines safely. Click here to see the complete table of contents. The entire book is now available for download in pdf format To buy the complete book, visit our online store

• Front matter- Chapter 1: About This Book, How to Use This Book, Table of Contents, Women's Health Is a Community Issue
• Chapter 2: Solving Health Problems
• Chapter 3: The Medical System
• Chapter 4: Understanding Our Bodies
• Chapter 5: Health Concerns of Girls
• Chapter 6: Pregnancy and Childbirth
• Chapter 7: Breastfeeding
• Chapter 8: Growing Older
• Chapter 9: Women With Disabilities
• Chapter 10: Staying Healthy
• Chapter 11: Eating for Good Health
• Chapter 12: Sexual Health
• Chapter 13: Family Planning
• Chapter 14: Infertility
• Chapter 15: Abortion and Complications of Abortion
• Chapter 16: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
• Chapter 17: HIV/AIDS
• Chapter 18: Violence Against Women
• Chapter 19: Rape and Sexual Assault
• Chapter 20: Sex Workers
• Chapter 21: Pain in the Lower Abdomen
• Chapter 22: Abnormal Bleeding from the Vagina
• Chapter 23: Problems of the Urine System
• Chapter 24: Cancer and Growths
• Chapter 25: Tuberculosis
• Chapter 26: Work
• Chapter 27: Mental Health
• Chapter 28: Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Chapter 29: Refugees and Displaced Women
• Chapter 30: Female Genital Cutting
• Chapter 31: Use of Medicines in Women's Health
• The Green Pages: Table of Medicines
• Health Care Skills
• List of Difficult Words
• Where to Get More Information
• Index (Yellow Pages)