guidelines for the integrated management of severe acute malnutrition

ACF-In Guidelines for the integrated management of SAM Community 24
children to the programme spontaneously. Nevertheless, it is important to maintain contact with the
village volunteer and for her activities to continue (screening, follow-up, education).
Coordination: If there are other programmes in the area then the volunteers may be working
alongside volunteers supported by another programme or agency. This happens particularly in
emergency situations where many NGOs descend upon the population, often with the same
programmes. They all try to employ (usually temporarily) local staff and recruit volunteers. Even in
development situations there are often many different programmes being implemented. It is important
that there is full coordination between the programmes. Volunteers must not be overloaded, there
should not be different NGOs giving conflicting messages or advice; there must never be differences
in the incentives given by the different agencies 22 .
Tools
The village focal point/ volunteer needs to have a kit. This should comprise:
• MUAC tapes (including spare tapes)
• Screening tally sheets
• Stick of 65cm
• Referral slips
• Pencils, paper, pencil sharpener, eraser
• Satchel/bag
• Mobile phone and credit, list of key telephone numbers, if possible.
• Written simple guidelines (in the local language) 23
Data collation
From the tally sheets and during the visit to the village by the outreach worker, he should collect the
following information; it is analysed and entered into a database by the staff controlling the
programme.
• Village name (GPS coordinates should have been determined and entered in database)
• Name of informant
• Date of screening
• Total number of children screened
• number with oedema
22 This leads to competition between the agencies (HIV, health, water, nutrition, protection, etc.) for staff and volunteers,
important programmes being stripped of their staff and dissatisfaction within any workforce that is not getting the “top”
level of incentives. There can even be escalation of incentives to a level where important programmes are not viable.
23 These have to be adapted to the level of education of the village focal point. It should be given even if the focal
point/volunteer is unable to read – this will avoid humiliation the focal point and s/he will nearly always have someone in
the village who can read for them when they are illiterate.