Evaluation of Two Community Based Screening Strategies for Severe Acute Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months in Mirria District, Niger (MàLÉ)
Malnutrition
About this trial
This is an interventional diagnostic trial for Malnutrition focused on measuring Screening, Malnutrition, Community Management of Acute Malnutrition
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- children aged 06-59 months at the time of the study
- children who live in a village in the health district participating in the study
Exclusion Criteria:
- children whose legal guardian refuses to participate in the study
Sites / Locations
- Mirriah health district
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
Experimental
Screening by community health workers
Screening by mothers
One Community Health Worker (CHW) will be trained per village in the comparator arm. The training the CHWs receive will be identical to that delivered in the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition program run by ALIMA/BEFEN (Bien Être de la Femme et l'Enfant Niger) over the last 3 years. This involves 6 hours theoretical training and a practical session in the health centre. CHWs will screen children 06-59 months in their village once a month
Mothers in the intervention health district will be trained in small womens' groups in their village. Training will have a theoretical component and a practical demonstration component on children in the village During the first baseline door to door mass screening campaign, mothers will also receive individual training on conducting a Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) classification and looking for pedal oedema. they will receive a brief recap during the three monthly door-to-door mass screening campaigns Mothers will be asked to check their child's MUAC and look for pedal oedema whenever the child does not seem to be in 'good health' to the mother whenever the mother feels that the child is 'unwell' or 'sick' whenever it seems to the mother that her child has lost weight whenever the mother thinks that it is necessary to do so