The 8- month -old child, Mariam Heyj was just a bag of bones when ADO team found her for the first time in February-2022 at Al-Zein HF in Al-Qanawes district of Al-Hodeidah where malnutrition and serious SAM complications reduce children’s bodies to skin on bone.
As stated by Mariam’s mother the major reason for this neglect has been the lack of awareness, from the family’s side, of the dangers encountered in delaying admittance in the free malnutrition programme .
On the detection date, Mariam’s mother was too hopeless about Mariam recovery to accept her daughter referral but she was so sensitized by ADO team that she continued to go regularly to Al-Zein HU Despite of the difficult living situation of her family and the far distance to the health unit. She continued to receive her daughter’s nutritional rations that are distributed free of charge until Mariam was finally recovered from malnutrition in July 2022 as her MUAC became 11.4. Therefore, Mariam was transferred internally to the moderate malnutrition program funded by the World Food Program (WFP) and implemented by Abs Development Organization under the close coordination with MoPHP.
In the same vein, Samah Aqel – ADO CHV indicated that “ever since Mariam was detected, she has been monitored until she has been significantly recovered. ADO team is still following up on her condition avoiding any future relapse.