Objective
This document aims to inform planning of the nutrition sector, specifically related to the estimation of needs for detection and prevention of wasting. Developed by UNICEF as the sector lead for nutrition, it is intended that this document will be revised as per the evolving situation and the extent of deterioration of the drivers of malnutrition including access to food, services, and practices.
Background
The already fragile nutrition situation of infants, young children, and pregnant and lactating women (PLWs) is under extreme threat of worsening due to shock, stress and deteriorating access to food, water, essential lifesaving services and positive feeding practices.
The crisis has disrupted access to services for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of malnutrition for about 340,000 children under 5 years of age in Gaza. The suspension of these life-saving services is putting children at heightened risk of malnutrition, disease, and death.
Annex 1 summarizes the drivers of malnutrition in this crisis.
Nutrition Response Priorities
To prevent a deterioration in the nutrition situation, the nutrition response is targeting 100% of infants, young children and their caretakers, and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, with proven actions that protect nutritional status in crisis settings.
The specific actions included in the revised Flash Appeal (Nov 2023) include:
• Provide nutrition counselling and support to caregivers of infants and young children on • feeding and care, (skilled counseling and support on breast feeding, complementary feeding and early simulations and responsive care giving; provision of age-appropriate complementary food for children • Provide BMS/ ready to use infant formula (RUIF) to address the needs of the non-breastfeed infants less than 6 months as per international guidelines. Establish a monitoring/reporting system to address any BMS code violation and any random distribution of infant formula.
• Provide complementary feeding to PLWs to address their nutritional needs • Provide micronutrient supplementation to children under five years including vitamin A supplementation, multiple micronutrient powders and lipid-based supplements (LNS-MQ/SQ) and multiple micronutrient supplements to pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Provide life-saving early detection and treatment to children with severe wasting and moderate wasting (who are also at high risk) with ready to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).
• Establish linkages with the cash or voucher assistance interventions to improve access to nutritious foods for young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women during the first 1,000 days • Conduct Nutrition assessments where possible