Objective Oriented Evaluation of Outpatient Therapeutic Feeding Program for Prevention of Severe Acute Malnutrition for six month to five years age Children, at Selected Health centers in Seka Chekorsa Woreda, Jimma Zone, Oromia Region

Abstract

Background: Globally, it is estimated that there are nearly 20 million children with acute severe acute malnutrition; most of them live in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is one of the countries in the subSaharan Africa with the highest rates of severe acute malnutrition. Understanding multidimensional burden of malnutrition; it is clear that prevention and treatment is critical to child survival and development. Therefore ministry of health Ethiopia implemented Outpatient therapeutic feeding program which brings improvement for management of severe acute malnutrition by availing service closer to the community by the use of ready to use therapeutic foods. Evaluation Objective: To assess, if operational objectives of severe acute malnutrition management program has been achieved as intended at selected five health centers in Seka Chekorsa, Woreda, Jimma zone, 2017 Methods: Cross-sectional study design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods was employed to assess Outpatient Therapeutic feeding Program from March one to twenty 2017. Study participants were Health Workers who offer service, Health Extension workers, and program focal person at health centers and program coordinator at Woreda health office. Data was collected through clinical document review (n=384), clinical care observation (n=50) and key informant interview (n=12). Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was used to express the result of study on program components and possible effects of the program also qualitative data were analyzed manually to support quantitative findings. All evaluation processes were undertaken after ethical clearance was obtained from Jimma University and conducted by respecting rules, ethics and culture of community Result: Resources needed for the program was partially distributed. Ready to use Therapeutic food was available in all Health Centers, essential drugs were not available and medical equipments were fairly available. The conformity of health workers to program guideline was rated as fair based on both qualitative and quantitative findings. The program was effective as most of clinical outcome results were within acceptable range of sphere standards. Results of main clinical outcomes were; cure rate 82.5 percent, death rate 2.9 percent, defaulter rate 8.7 percent, average weight gain rate was 5.12gm/Kg/day and average length of stay in the program was 48.28days. Conclusions Even though result of this Objective Oriented Evaluation of Outpatient Therapeutic feeding program is rated as good by scoring 81.7% based on judgment parameter; the necessary resources needed for effectiveness of program and also issues related to provision of service as per national program standards needs attention