ALIMA is trying to break down the treatment barrier that exists between moderately and severely malnourished children.
As part of a study known as MUAC Only (OptiMA) in Burkina Faso, the ALIMA/SOS Médecins/Keoogo consortium continue to train mothers to use the MUAC, a simple, tri-colored bracelet used to screen their children for the earliest signs of malnutrition, but have expanded the MUAC admissions criteria to include all children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition and severe acute malnutrition in the same program.
This reduces the risk of complications and hospitalization. And, by gradually reducing therapeutic food rations as kids get healthier and improve their MUAC status, the program can treat more children at a similar cost.
