By: Haruna Kuyateh
National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) with funding from UNICEF rolled out four days of training for Nurses and Doctors on the importance of in-patient management of Malnourished children at the facility level.
The training is underway at Mansa Wally Lodge in the Lower River Region. The capacity development aimed to strengthen and bridge information gaps and improve outcomes in caring for and managing malnutrition children.
The topics covered during the period include an overview of Integrated Management Acute Malnutrition (IMAM), Nutrient Deficiency, pathological, Anthropometric measurement, clinical features of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Triage, Feed preparation, children under 6 months, Monitoring and Evaluation techniques and group works.
Bakary Jallow Director of Programmes at the NaNA described the training as important and timely in promoting better management of malnourished children at tertiary hospitals to ensure proper management of children.
He noted that building the capacity of Doctors and Nurses is crucial in meeting the global target of promoting standards in providing better management of malnourished children at hospitals.
Director Jallow thanked UNICEF for the strong partnership and called for a concerted effort to address malnutrition among children under five.
The Program Director assumed that the training would bring better management of acutely malnourished children. However, WHO studies revealed that 50% of children died as a result of malnutrition, therefore the training will provide children with illnesses to properly examine before treatment.
Dr. Khalifa Gassama a lead trainer and Fabakary Bass at NaNANutrition Field Coordinator also gave comprehensive speeches about the training.