Model Cost Analysis for the Treatment of Severe Malnutrition Among Children in West Africa, Using the Example of Niger

With the help of the Médecins Sans Frontières nutrition program in Niger severely malnourished children were treated outpatient and partly in hospital. The cost for staff, therapeutic food, medical care and logistical support within 12 months should also be used as a model for future budgets for prevention and intervention against malnutrition in West Africa.

According to the scientists of the study, these are much lower than previously assumed. An average of € 148.86 per treated child was spent. In the case of outpatient treatment, the expenses for the therapeutic diet (€ 32.98) exceeded the personnel costs (€ 26.70); in stationary terms the personnel costs were highest with € 75.47 per child. For cost savings the experts recommend programs with high number of participants.

Isanaka et al. Cost analysis of the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in West Africa. Matern Child Nutr. 2016 Dec 5. doi: 10.1111/mcn.12398. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mcn.12398/abstract;jsessionid=23C70EB0C1AFFB31B06C56EC1512FD43.f04t02

Médecins Sans Frontières. (German)Blog Kinder haben Priorität. http://www.msf.ch/de/unsere-einsaetze/was-wir-tun/krankheitsbild/mangelernaehrung/