(P19-07-26) Nutritional Status of Children Aged 6–59 Months in Drought-Affected Districts of Ethiopia: Findings From a Rapid Nutrition Assessment

Objectives: Drought-affected areas in Ethiopia are highly vulnerable to food insecurity, increasing the risk of acute and chronic malnutrition among children. This rapid nutrition assessment aimed to identify vulnerable populations in selected districts and guide timely humanitarian and programmatic interventions.

Methods: The Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) survey was conducted in 2024 in four drought-affected districts: Amibara (Afar Region) and Guradhamole, Dolo Ado, and Dolobay (Somali Region). A two-stage cluster sampling design was employed. Sample sizes were calculated based on the previous regional prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM), assuming a desired precision of ±4.0%, a design effect of 1.5, average household size, the proportion of children aged 6–59 months, and a 3% non-response rate.

Results: Anthropometric data were collected from 623, 461, 963, and 490 children in Amibara, Dolo Ado, Guradhamole, and Dolobay, respectively. The prevalence of GAM (MUAC < 12.5 cm and/or WHZ < −2) was 20.1% in Amibara (2% SAM; 18.1% MAM), 43.5% in Guradhamole (4% SAM; 39.5% MAM), 15.8% in Dolobay (1% SAM; 14.8% MAM), and 13.1% in Dolo Ado (1% SAM; 12.1% MAM). GAM identified by MUAC-only accounted for 8.2%, 20.3%, 3.0%, and 8.2% in Amibara, Guradhamole, Doloado, and Dolobay, respectively, with the remaining cases identified by WHZ-only or by both MUAC and WHZ. Stunting prevalence was highest in Guradhamole (49%), followed by Amibara (32%), Dolobay (20%), and Dolo Ado (13%), while severe stunting affected 25.3%, 8%, 6%, and 3% of children, respectively. Underweight prevalence was 48.8% in Guradhamole, 24.4% in Amibara, 16.5% in Dolobay, and 7.8% in Doloado, with severe underweight affecting 19.5%, 3.9%, 2.8%, and 2.1% of children.

Conclusions: Both acute and chronic malnutrition remain alarmingly high in the surveyed districts, particularly in Guradhamole, where GAM exceeds emergency thresholds and nearly half of children are stunted or underweight. These findings highlight the urgent need for geographically targeted, multisectoral interventions, including strengthened community-based management of acute malnutrition, improved food security and livelihoods, and expanded maternal and child health, nutrition, and child protection services.

Funding Sources: UNICEF