Treating malnourished children in Hudaydah

The Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre located at Al-Khawkhah Health Centre in Al-Hudaydah Governorate provides treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition. During 2023, it treated more than 180 children who were internally displaced or from the host community.

UNICEF, with funding from the European Union, has been supporting this centre with operation cost, per diem of staff for doctors, nurses, lab technicians and cleaners, and paying for referral cases. UNICEF also supports the provision of therapeutic milk (F75 and F100), antibiotic and rehydration solution Resomal.

“The centre here is considered as a reference point, as we receive patients from Al-Khawkhah district and other districts like Hais. We have been receiving cases since 2012. Whatever the condition, we took them in, whether it was malnutrition only or with complications like fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. We treat them well and work hard to get them better, and thankfully, children recover in most cases. If their conditions get worse or more complicated, we refer them to Al-Makha,” says Doctor Abdullah Zuhair Doblah, the Director of The Health Office in Al-Khawkhah district and a doctor at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre.

Shorooq Ahmed (left) and her colleague do the required measurements for one of the babies at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre in Al-Khawkhah district, Al-Hudaydah.

“As a nurse, I welcome the child and check their registered information, admission and referral papers, and vaccination cards. We then start the assessment measures, like measuring Mid-upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), height, and weight. Then, the child is referred to the doctor, where a diagnosis would be made, and then we head to The Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) room. After that, the drug administration starts, and the child gets what’s suitable for their condition according to  The Therapeutic Feeding Centre’s protocols and if they had ongoing previous medical prescriptions. Finally, we open a file for the child at the center. We check our patients’ vital signs every four hours and check their respiration, temperature, and pulse. The most important thing is the formula admission because it’s therapeutic,” says Shorooq Ahmed, a nurse at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre in Al-Khawkhah district, Al-Hudaydah.

Ghosoon, 2 years, takes her formula with the help of her mother, Soa'adah Hassan, at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre in Al-Khawkhah district, Al-Hudaydah.

“Ghoson was healthy and fine, but suddenly, she had a fever, and I took her to the health centre. They measured her for malnutrition, and she was diagnosed with it. Her weight is only 3 Kg, and she is two years old. I didn't notice she had malnutrition until I brought her in. They refused to give her supplements but insisted that she stays in to get good care. I was immediately referred and hospitalized,” says Soa'adah Hassan, a 25-year mother from Al-Khawlani village, Al-Hudaydah.

Saboot Saeed Khadim lives in Al-Hemaisi neighborhood in Al-Khawkha, Al-Hudaidah with her three sons who support the family financially. One of her grandsons suffered from severe acute malnutrition, so he was referred to the therapeutic centre to get the necessary treatment.

“My grandson was sick, and his bones would stick out because he was very skinny. We have been here at the centre for six days. They feed him formula, give him shots, and many other things, which they give to all the admitted patients,” says Saboot Saeed, a grandmother. “At the center, my grandson got better and started eating, laughing, and talking. We are delighted the health center is close to us; we can go there at any time of the day,” adds Saboot.

Doctor Abdullah Zuhair checks up one of the admitted children at The Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre in Al-Khawkhah, Al-Hudaydah governorate.

“I feel ecstatic when I see the parents of my patients smiling with hope and joy when their child gets cured. I feel relieved to see the baby who once cried yesterday smile and play today,” says Doctor Abdullah Zuhair Doblah, the Director of the Health Office in Al-Khawkhah district and a doctor at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre. “Our jobs are special and important because we work with a vulnerable segment of society who can't talk or describe their pain. Still, with experience and practice, we understood the babies’ pain and needs from their movements and looks,” adds Abdullah.

Shorooq Ahmed playfully holds an admitted child in the air at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre in Al-Khawkhah, Al-Hudaydah governorate.

“The nurse’s job is an act of humanity. When the baby gets admitted to the centre, they usually come in terrible shape, especially if malnourished with complications like edema. On the other hand, after being cared for, they leave us in good condition and smiling,” says Shorooq Ahmed, a nurse at the Stabilization Therapeutic Nutritional Centre in Al-Khawkhah district, Al-Hudaydah.