Chinese government co-financed the strategy developed by World Food Programme for integrated management of acute malnutrition in Laos

Project narrative

On August 27th, 2012, Chinese government, with other national governments, co-financed the strategy developed by World Food Programme (WFP) for integrated management of acute malnutrition in Laos. The total actual commitment is $33,014,870, the total actual disbursement is $27,846,567. In June 2010, the Government of Lao PDR with support from UNICEF conducted a nutritional assessment in the Ketsana-affected provinces of Attapeu, Saravan, Savannakhet, and Sekong. It found 'critical' levels (18.9 percent) of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) in Attapeu and 'serious' GAM rates above 10 percent in the neighbouring provinces of Saravane and Savannakhet (12.1 percent and 11.9 percent, respectively). Working closely together, the Ministry of Health, local government, UNICEF, WFO, and WFP have developed a strategy for integrated management of acute malnutrition. WFP supported this overall strategy in several critical ways. First, it provided supplementary feeding to treat 6,800 moderately malnourished children under five years of age. The children were given a one-month ration of rice-soya blend (RSB), oil and sugar. Second, 2,300 pregnant and lactating mothers received a ration of similar nutritional composition to the children's, but in this case, the emphasis was given on preventing acute malnutrition in a group that is highly at risk. Third, WFP also provided a ration of rice to caretakers of children who were enrolled in the therapeutic feeding programme. This ration will enable the caretakers to remain with the children while they complete the full one-month treatment at the health center. Four, a protection ration of rice was offered to the members of any households with children suffering from moderate or severe acute malnutrition. This ration will help ensure that the children's rations are not consumed by other household members. The project has been carried out in Xiengkhuang, Vientiane, Borikhamxay, Luangprabang, Attapeu, Sekong, Saravane, Phongsaly, Khammuane, Bokeo, Oudomxay, Savannakhet, Luangnamtha, Huaphanh and Xayabury.