Results from the Initial Demonstration of RUTF for the Treatment of Acute Malnutrition in

The purpose of this document is to summarize the results from 12 months of the Initial Demonstration of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). To present the analysis, this paper is divided into three sections. Firstly, the document provides a background to the Initial Demonstration, detailing its protocols, goals, and resources devoted. Secondly, the results from the 6-month program review are provided. Lastly, the full data set from the first year of the Demonstration is presented, with analysis and recommendations for program improvement. RUTF was given to four hospitals to treat children with acute malnutrition, primarily moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Associated staff members were trained to administer the dosing, to monitor co-morbidities, and to record outcomes on Outpatient Therapeutic Care (OTC) cards. After 6 months, the National Nutrition Program (NNP) and relevant partners extended the Initial Demonstration (ID) by an additional 6 months in order to gather a more comprehensive set of data. They also amended the protocol for RUTF dosing because many patients could not finish the original amount of prescribed RUTF sachets. The new protocol was only implemented at one site, however, and the data set used in this report does not include its impact. The year-end analysis of the Demonstration includes site-specific and aggregate data. A