Child nutrition is a major underlying cause of morbidity and mortality in Mali. However, the USAID funded New Partnerships Initiative EXPAND Child Survival activity that started implementing in the regions of Koulikoro and Kayes, in November 2022 looks to change that fact for children in the region. In the district of Ouéléssébougou, one of the first activities was mapping the Community Action Group for Nutrition, identifying the groups that were functional, and revitalizing those that were inactive. The community groups are composed of health agents and mothers and are instrumental in identifying malnourished children at an early stage so their cases can be treated before they develop severe malnutrition.
In the Molobala village while the community groups had been established in 2017, activities stopped in late 2022 due to lack of funding. With a population of 15,010, the village of Molobala is part of the Health Area of Ouéléssebougou Central. It is 24 km away from the central primary health clinic.
As a result of USAID’s new support, Molobala’s Community Action Group for Nutrition received resources and coaching so they could fulfill their mandate of promoting nutritional awareness and healthy diets for young children. They then resumed operations and carried out nutritional demonstrations for mothers of young children. During these sessions, three children were diagnosed with moderate acute malnutrition and one with a severe case with complications: Mohamed, the child of Kadiatou. The three cases of moderate malnutrition were referred to the community health center and Kadiatou’s child to the referral health center. The three children made the trip to the community health center while the transfer of Kadiatou’s child to the referral health center was delayed because his parents couldn’t afford the treatment. The group members assisted Kadiatou and the family and, as a result, Mohamed was admitted to the intensive care unit for cases of severe malnutrition.
I fed my 22-month-old child, Mohamed, from the family's communal meal. Unfortunately, he gradually lost weight until he became ill. I found that his belly grew, he had sores in his mouth, his hair turned reddish, and his feet were swollen. I had the chance to participate with my child in a nutrition demonstration session organized by the village Community Action Group for Nutrition. The group members screened the children, including mine. This is how they detected that my child was severely malnourished and referred us to the referral health center of Ouéléssebougou”, explains Kadiatou.
The field supervisor followed up on the child’s case and advocated to the nutrition officer at the referral health center to take care of the child where he was administered treatment free of charge. After a week of treatment, the child recovered from the critical phase and returned home. His continued care is being handled in the community by the Community Action Group. Mohamed was saved thanks to the combined efforts of the project field agents, and group members, and the public health facility staff. From November 2022 to September 2023, through the efforts of USAID, 154,054 children were screened, of which 98,664 children in Kayes and 55,390 in Koulikoro regions.
Djouratier Diarra, Community Health Agent, USAID/NPI EXPAND