The Management of Severe Malnutrition in Burundi: An NGO’s Perspective of the Practical Constraints to Effective Emergency and Medium‐term Programmes

Abstract

The NGO, Action contre la Faim (ACF), has been operating in Burundi since 1994, where the situation has dramatically hampered humanitarian programmes. These include poor security resulting in an inability to maintain 24-hour care for the severely malnourished and poor access to the beneficiaries, all within a politically and economically unstable context. However, ACF has been able to capitalise on lessons learnt and reflect on ways to move forward, which have included the improvement of their capacities in the treatment of severe malnutrition and the integration within broader disciplines and national structures. The protocols for the treatment of severe malnutrition currently used in Burundi have been developed as a result of the research of ACF over the past five years. Other aspects of the nutrition programme remain to be further developed. These include, for example, an improved capacity to care for severely malnourished adolescents and adults; and also a better knowledge of the beneficiaries to allow for stronger links between the provision of treatment and support for their longer-term food security.

Delivering nutrition interventions to women and children in conflict settings: a systematic review

“…resources Inadequate/irregular supplies of commodities 39 Logistical constraints 29 79 99 100 112 Limited human resources 83 89 Limited funding 42 Burundi, 48 Somalia, 39 Jordan, 41 51 79 95 Syria, 41 42 101 Sri Lanka, 49 Bosnia and Herzegovina, 54 77 Lebanon, 82 Lebanon, 91 South Sudan, 102 Yemen, 89 Afghanistan, 84 Syria, 101 Jordan, 41 80 DRC, 29 Uganda, 60 Colombia 94 Nutrition assessment, 29 84 101 102 breastfeeding and appropriate IYCF, 80 disease prevention and management, 29 micronutrient supplementation, 101 general food distribution, 29 Population movement 76 102 Gender bias or negative sociocultural practices 93 South Sudan, 102 Jordan, 80 92 Lebanon, 86 110 DRC, 76 102 Somalia, 93 Burundi, 76 Liberia, 76 Kenya, 63 Yemen 107 Nutrition assessment, 92 disease prevention and man...…”

“…Tanzania 73 Nutrition assessment, 53 73 disease prevention and management 62 73 general food distribution, 42 SAM/MAM treatment, 73 supplementary feeding, 73 nutrition education 38 Lebanon, 83 Sudan, 85 Kenya, 64 Guinea-Bissau, 64 65 Afghanistan, 84 Syria, 101 Jordan, 109 South Sudan 112 Nutrition assessment, 83 Burundi, 48 Somalia, 39 88 Sri Lanka, 49 Pakistan, 25 Ethiopia, 31 Guinea-Bissau, 40 DRC, 66…”