Effectiveness of NGO‐government partnership to prevent and treat child wasting in urban India

摘要

This study reviews the performance of a community‐based nutrition programme in preventing and treating wasting without complications among children under age three in urban informal settlements of India. Implemented by a non‐profit organization, with national (Integrated Child Development Services [ICDS]) and city‐level (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai [MCGM]) government partners, the programme screened 7,759 children between May 2014 and April 2015. During this period, the programme admitted 705 moderately wasted and 189 severely wasted children into the treatment group and 6,820 not wasted children into the prevention group. Both prevention and treatment groups received growth monitoring, referrals to public health facilities, and home‐based counselling (if <6 months) by community health workers. Treatment groups received additional home‐based counselling and access to medical screenings. Severely wasted children also received access to ready‐to‐use therapeutic food. The study assessed default rates, wasting status, and average weight gain 3 months after admission. Factors associated with growth faltering in the prevention group were explored using logistic regression.