Saoudata Maiga

Professor Roberts

Health 1020

11/09/2017

Research Paper

I am writing my research paper about childrens malnutrition in northern Mali

(West Africa). According to Unicef, more than 15 percent of children suffer from the

most severe form of malnutrition in Timbuktu and Gao in northern Mali. The

deteriorating security situation and the difficulty of accessing water are some of the

reasons put forward by various reports to explain this situation.

Statistics shown that in 2018, 165000 Malian children across the country will

suffer from severe malnutrition according to Unicef in Bamako, the capital city of Mali.

Which mean there will be an increase of 23000 compare to the numbers of this year

2017. There are certainly various forms of malnutrition, but these Malian kids have

Severe acute malnutrition which is a very low weight for height, severe muscular delay.

The immune system of these children is extremely weakened, so they are in real danger

of death.

UNICEF is therefore calling for help. The UN organization claims to be able to

respond to the crisis only for the first three months of 2018. After this date, the funds

and stocks will be empty.

 A nutrition crisis in Mali, exacerbated by continued violence, instability and

displacement, threatens the lives and future of thousands of children, New data

released from 'SMART' survey of UNICEF and partners shows acute malnutrition rate

among children under five has reached critical levels in conflict-affected areas of

Timbuktu and Gao, while the national rate of malnutrition also remains very high.

The results of the survey show that the rate of acute child malnutrition reached 15.7% in

Timbuktu and 15.2% in Gao - a worrying increase from "severe" to "critical" on the scale

of the classification. Serious levels of acute malnutrition were also recorded in the

regions of Kayes (14.2%) and Taoudni (14.3%), while the national rate is 10.7%.

"Behind these numbers are the lives of the most vulnerable and forgotten girls

and boys in Mali," UNICEF Mali Representative Lucia Elmi said in a statement released

by the agency. "We need to provide a life-saving treatment and ensure that each of

these children can fully recover," she said. Severe acute malnutrition: 165,000 Malian

children will be affected in 2018.

Children who suffer from a severe form of acute malnutrition experience severe

muscle loss, a very low weight for their height and are nine times more likely to die in

case of illness due to a weakened immune system.

Since the 2012 political and security crisis in Mali, violence and instability have led to

displacement and disruption of social services in the north, which has had a negative

impact on girls' nutritional status. and the most vulnerable boys.

Other factors, such as limited access to water and sanitation in the northern regions and

childhood diseases such as diarrhea, acute respiratory infections and malaria, have

exacerbated the situation.

 The fight against malnutrition in the Sahel: have a long-term perspective for

UNICEF, investing in the first 1,000 critical days of children's lives is essential to reduce

the risk of acute malnutrition Such an investment requires the promotion of practices

such as exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and handwashing with clean

water and soap.

"It is essential to take a long-term perspective to tackle malnutrition in the Sahel," said

Nol Zagr, UNICEF's regional nutrition advisor for West and Central Africa. "Efforts

need to be stepped up to strengthen the resilience of families by improving food

security, preventing and treating severe acute malnutrition, access to water and

sanitation, and knowledge of key family practices such as child labor. 'Breastfeeding',

he said.

The 2017 SMART survey was conducted in Mali by the National Institute of

Statistics (INSTAT) and the Malian Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, with support

from UNICEF, the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Food and

Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The multifaceted and complex crisis (food, nutritional and politico-security) that has hit

Mali since the first quarter of 2012 affects the Malian population as a whole, and in

particular, the most vulnerable. Despite the liberation of the northern regions occupied

since January / March 2012, this situation has had consequences for the nutritional

situation of children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women. Presence but limited

access of operational partners in the North. Travel populations within the country

Interruption of the provision of care by health structures. Degradation of health

infrastructures.
 Departure / absence of health authorities and health workers. Disruption of the

input supply chain (nutritional and other basic medicines). Inability to conduct SMART

nutrition surveys in the North for safety reasons to fight malnutrition, Mali assesses the

nutritional situation of the most at risk groups every year through the implementation of

nutritional surveys using the SMART methodology.

The survey was not conducted in the North in 2012 for security reasons. In March-April

2013, a window of opportunity emerged in the Gao region. The survey aimed to obtain a

picture of Gao's nutritional situation through: Assessment of the nutritional status of

children aged 0 to 59 months (acute malnutrition, chronic malnutrition and underweight)

Estimated crude mortality (overall population) and mortality among children under 5

years of age.

Since the occupation of the northern regions, a rapid response to the nutritional

and humanitarian crisis has been ongoing since April 2012 with international and

national NGOs (3,890 severe acute malnutrition treated). The current assessment of the

nutritional situation reinforces / reorients this rapid response. The results of the survey

revealed a serious nutritional situation for the entire Gao region, with no aggravation of

the nutritional situation and under-five mortality estimated in July 2011. The prevalence

of global acute malnutrition is 13.5% for the entire Gao region, a "serious" nutritional

situation according to the WHO classification. The prevalence of severe acute

malnutrition is very high at 2.4%. Over the next six months, it is expected that 22,730

children will suffer from acute malnutrition, of whom 17,269 will suffer from moderate

acute malnutrition and 5.461 suffering from severe acute malnutrition for the entire Gao

region. The districts of Menaka and Bourem have the highest under-five mortality rates,
with respectively 1.29 and 0.79 deaths per 10,000 children per day. Based on these

results, UNICEF will support the government and other nutrition partners to adequately

respond to the nutrition crisis.

In Mali, UNICEF and its partners aim to treat 125,000 children suffering from

severe acute malnutrition, including 15,000 with complications, and 45,000 children with

acute malnutrition.

moderate in addition to WFP's feeding program. In the Gao region in 2013, UNICEF and

its partners aim to provide treatment for 6,000 children with severe acute malnutrition,

including 600 with complications, and 2,000 moderate acute malnourished children.

UNICEF and its partners aim to improve infant and young child feeding for 8,000

children under 6 months of age and 12,000 children aged 6-23 months. Finally, a

nutrition and mortality survey will be conducted at the end of the lean season

(November 2013) and a coverage survey of the Integrated Management of Acute

Malnutrition program will be conducted between the two nutrition and mortality surveys.

It is very sad to see that in Mali, 191 children die per 1,000 births, and 150,000

children die each year before reaching their fifth year. It is one of the most important

infant mortality rates in the world, with 35% of cases attributable to various forms of

malnutrition. Thus, thanks to the implementation of projects like, ACTED and UNICEF

actively participates in responding to the nutritional crisis that has weakened Mali for

several years, maintaining an effective collaboration with national and local health

authorities as well as with other humanitarian actors present in Mali.

References:
https://www.unicef.org/appeals/mali.html

http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20171010-mali-unicef-alerte-grave-malnutrition-enfants-nord-

tombouctou-gao

https://www.voanews.com/a/mali-child-nutrition/1538225.html

https://reliefweb.int/map/mali/severe-acute-malnutrition-northern-mali-children-aged-6-

59-month-smart-survey-2013-02012014