Amena, a 21-month-old granddaughter of a PPEPP-EU member, Pakhinur Begum from Bagerhat district, was diagnosed with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) by PPEPP-EU’s nutrition staff. She was measured with a MUAC score of 12.1, which is below the healthy range (above 12.5) for children her age, weighed nine kilograms, and was found slightly shorter at 78 centimetres in height.
As Amena’s family relies on a single breadwinner and lives in dire poverty, they struggle to provide the necessary nutritious and supplementary foods, which hinder her growth.
However, PPEPP-EU’s dedicated nutrition staff explained to Amena’s family about the dangers of malnutrition and shared helpful guidance on her recovery, including information on supplementary foods, their cooking method, and feeding routines for Amena. Subsequently, they handed over a special nutritious food package to Amena’s family. This is a carefully prepared high-calorie food package for making Pushti Khichuri and Pushti Halua, which is intended and delivered exclusively to malnourished children from the PPEPP-EU project.
Three months after feeding the food package and continued support from the project staff, Amena’s weight increased to 10.5 kg, her height reached 84 centimetres, and her MUAC improved to 13.1. Her happy-faced mother shares, “I never realised her malnourishment but looking at her now, I feel that she looks healthier than before, thanks to PPEPP-EU’s food package and sisters (project staff) who ensure regular growth monitoring.”
In PPEPP-EU, children identified as having Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) or MAM are referred to the government health facilities for better and comprehensive treatment. Nonetheless, children diagnosed as MAM and who have no medical complications can be treated at home with appropriate dietary modifications as per Bangladesh’s national guideline for Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM).
To address malnutrition at home, PPEPP-EU delivers a food package to these children to prepare high-calorie and nutrient dense food recipes named ‘Pusti Khichuri’ and ‘Pusti Halua’, which is an essential aspect of the project’s Direct Nutrition Initiative. This food package is comparable to the therapeutic food used for inpatient treatment of wasting management in government hospitals. It is offered exclusively to a selected group of children to make a positive impact on their catch-up growth at home. Thus, PPEPP-EU helps mitigate the long-term detrimental effects of malnutrition and supports the development of malnourished children by providing them with nutritious food packages.