ELWA Hospital Malnutrition Program

In August 2019, ELWA hospital started a free "Malnutrition Feeding and Medical Management Program" for children under 5 suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Carrying out malnutrition treatment in a hospital setting offers a big advantage in allowing for diagnosis and treatment of the underlying medical conditions and leads to higher survival rates for these children.

The new malnutrition program remains one of ELWA hospital’s most successful initiatives, with close to 300 outpatient malnutrition consultations each month plus a busy inpatient feeding unit where children with more serious medical complications are admitted. These conditions include severe malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, typhoid fever and severe anemia. To date, every child admitted into the nutrition program has survived and been discharged having reached a healthy weight!​

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Children with SAM require feeding with very specific nutrients, namely F75, F100 and outpatient ready-to-use therapeutic feed (RUTF). It is this RUTF, also known as plumpynut, which is required in the greatest numbers. In order to maintain the program at ELWA, approximately 3000 – 4000 sachets of plumpynut are required each month.

A company in Guinea (Nutriset) has agreed to supply plumpynut if ELWA is able to meet the costs of production, around $1,200 a month. The NGO Orphanaid has agreed to pay half of this monthly amount. This means that another $600 a month will allow the malnutrition program to continue and save children's lives.

Dr. Mikey Bryant, medical director at ELWA Hospital and pictured above with nursing staff, has asked EMAUSA if we can raise the additional $600 a month to keep this very successful program going. EMAUSA is committed to fund this program even though we currently do not have the funds to do it.  When we saw the kids (including many babies) coming in with severe health conditions, we committed to fund this. We believe God will provide the funds. 

ELWA Hospital Malnutrition Program Cost: $600 a month, $7,200 annually