AID 11278 – Kick off of the nutrition training courses in Kassala

In mainly rural North Delta region drought during dry season and flood during rainy season present an high toll on communities’ food security, causing on of the highest rate of malnutrition in Sudan.

The project - funded by AICS and impleemented by AISPO - will intervene in 9 villages, in 3 of those there is an health centre, and will work both with communities members in improving awareness and creating the tools for mothers and future mothers to prevent malnutrition and both with local health system, training nurses, medical staff and nutritionist on prevention, identification and treatment of malnutrition cases and  improving existing structures in order to ensure a more efficient access to health services for local population.

During the project’s first steps, in coordination with Nutrition Department of Ministry of Health, Kassala State, the training process for paramedic personnel in Health Centres started, focusing on improving the management of MAM and SAM cases thought official government protocols (CMAM - Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition), strengthening competencies on usage of medical equipment, management of nutritional deficiencies and identification of malnutrition symptoms. Follow up and training of health centres staff will be a continuous process during the project.

Among the communities in coordination with local NGO Jasmar the formation of the woman group process started. The woman selected will participate in a training process about prevention and identification of malnutrition and they will be focal points in their communities for malnutrition related issues and for sharing among their peers the concepts acquired. The community leaders of the 9 villages were trained about the importance of the creation of the woman groups and women’s primary role in identifying and preventing malnutrition.