Background: roughly13 (2%) million children in developing countries suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). New protocol brought SAM management from facility based approach to community based, principally by Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP). However, little known about this new management approach. Therefore, this review intended to disclose SAM management and associated factors in children within southern Ethiopia.
Methods: a review of published literatures and protocols conducted in SAM management critically. The literatures were from journals indexed in PubMed, Google Scholars, African online journals and websites of organizations like WHO and UNICEF.
Results: the review indicates, currently SAM managed generally in newly endorsed community based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) in Ethiopia. There are four broad components of CMAM applied. Explicitly, community outreach, OTP, inpatient management at stabilization center (SC) and program addressing moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). All components are operational in health posts based except SC, which held in health centers. Health posts do have its catchment areas and health centers supervise the activities of health posts particularly regarding SAM management in children.
Conclusion: the management of SAM in children was operational based on CMAM in Ethiopia. Most activities were set in health posts but health centers supervise the activities of health posts. Especially it should be clear that, OTP is operational only in health posts and SC in health center in this country particularly in southern region.
Key words: Severe acute malnutrition, outpatient therapeutic program, associated factors
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