Health and Nutrition Programmes

Adequate health and nutrition is essential for the healthy development of children. Families affected by illness may not be able to work or provide proper care. Children in these situations are at risk of dropping out of school in order to care for a sick adult and work in order to replace lost income. If the caretaker dies from the illness, the child risks a number of negative outcomes including living on the street or being placed in institutional care.

The provision of free or affordable health and nutrition services is vital in the protection of children and in reducing separation from their caretakers. This need is extremely prevalent in areas affected by large scale HIV/AIDS infection rates, poverty, and armed conflict.

Children who have been abused or exploited require immediate health screening to identify and treat potential injury and infections. Medical testing and treatment should be delivered in a child sensitive manner, with consent and confidentiality standards strictly adhered to. Significant health interventions should also be accompanied by psychosocial services, education, and family support.

The resources in this section provide guidance and examples of protection projects which include health and nutritional support.

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Adapting Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition in the context of COVID-19

Concern Worldwide, 17 Apr 2020

This guide is designed to assist Concern's health and nutrition staff responsible for the management and coordination of Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) operations to adapt and modify programme modalities in the context of COVID-19.

Are the voices of young people living in out-of-home care represented in research examining their health?: A systematic review of the literature

Madelaine Smales, Melissa Savaglio, Susan Webster, Helen Skouteris, Bengianni Pizzirani, Renee O'Donnell, Rachael Green - Children and Youth Services Review, 08 Apr 2020

This systematic review aimed to explore if and how the voices of young people in out-of-home care (OoHC) are represented in research examining their health.

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COVID-19 and Nutrition: SUN Movement Information Note

MQSUN+ programme - Scaling Up Nutrition, 08 Apr 2020

This information note provides initial considerations and actions for Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Government Focal Points and country multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) to help them engage in national COVID-19 response efforts to protect and promote good nutrition.

Interim Guidance Note: Mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition of schoolchildren

World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 07 Apr 2020

This joint note is aimed at providing preliminary guidance to national and local authorities, school administrators and staff and implementing partners on how to take short-term measures to support, transform or adapt school feeding programmes in their efforts to safeguard the food security and nutritional status of school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting children’s nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic

UNICEF and WFP, 01 Apr 2020

This two-page brief outlines the UNICEF-WFP partnership's two-pronged strategy to respond to the immediate and medium-term needs to prevent and treat child wasting during and after COVID-19.

Management of Wasting in the Context of COVID-19

UNICEF, Global Nutrition Cluster, GTAM, 27 Mar 2020

This Brief is meant to provide information specific to services and programmes for the management of child wasting in the context of COVID-19, and it contains information that is not already available elsewhere.

Infant and Young Child Feeding in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Eastern, Central and Southern Africa

UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO, 26 Mar 2020

This joint note aims to consolidate the current recommendations on Infant and Young Child Feeding in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.

Experiences of incorporating support for early childhood development into the Baby Friendly Community Initiative in rural Kenya

Teresa Mwoma, et al - Journal of the British Academy, 25 Mar 2020

This paper provides insights into the feasibility and lessons learned from rural Kenya in providing Care for Child Development (CCD) training and supporting its implementation alongside the Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI).

Interim Recommendations for Adjusting Food Distribution Standard Operating Procedures in the Context of the COVID-19 Outbreak

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), 23 Mar 2020

This document aims to guide the revision of existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Food Distribution in the COVID-19 context at the country level to minimize the risk of exposure of personnel, partners and beneficiaries.

Coronavirus Disease (COVID 19) Summary of Guidance for Nutrition in Emergencies Practitioners

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) & Global Technical Assistance Mechanism for Nutrition (GTAM), 13 Mar 2020

This resource document collates available guidance and tools on the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) to assist Nutrition in Emergencies (NiE) practitioners in integrating COVID-19 preparedness and response into humanitarian nutrition responses.

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