Guideline for infant and young child feeding in emergencies for Ethiopia

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in Ethiopia. According to the 2019 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS), nearly 53% of under-five mortality is associated with malnutrition. Major forms of malnutrition, such as stunting and wasting, are among the highest in sub-Saharan countries. Although there has been a steady reduction in the prevalence of stunting and wasting over the last decades, 37% of children under 5 years of age are still stunted, and 7.2% of them are wasted, according to the 2019 EDHS. The prevalence of both stunting and wasting is higher than the average for Africa which is 29.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the prevalence of wasting, together with its devastating effects worsens during emergencies, requiring immediate nutrition response. Over the years, Ethiopia has experienced several disasters and man-made emergencies such as drought, floods, locust invasions and conflict, resulting in internal displacement and damage to crops and animals. These emergencies put children and mothers at a greater risk of malnutrition, by preventing communities from practicing proper IYCF behaviors and impeding access to essential health and nutrition services