Kenya Nutrition Situation Overview for the Arid
and Semi- Arid Areas, February 2017
According to the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) for Acute Malnutrition conducted in February 2017, Turkana North, North Horr
in Marsabit and Mandera counties reported a Very Critical Nutrition situation (phase 5; Global Acute Malnutrition ≥30 percent). A
Critical Nutrition Situation (Phase 4; GAM WHZ 15.0 - 29.9 percent) was reported in East Pokot in Baringo county, Isiolo and Turkana
South, West and Central. Tana River county reported a Serious Nutrition Situation GAM WHZ 10.0 -14.9 percent) while Tharaka Nithi
was in phase 2 (alert GAM WHZ ≥ 5 to 9.9 percent). Finally Kitui and Kilifi were in Phase 1 (acceptable GAM WHZ <5%). Compared
with August 2016, improvement in the nutrition situation was noted in Turkana South while deterioration was noted in Turkana
North, Isiolo Mandera and Marsabit Counties. The nutrition situation is expected to deteriorate across all ASAL counties in the
coming months if the dry spell persists.
Very critical nutrition
situation: Turkana North
and North Horr in
Marsabit & Mandera
Critical nutrition
situation East Pokot in
Baringo, Isiolo, Turkana
South, West and Central
Number requiring
treatment of acute
malnutrition in the
ASAL& Urban areas:
412,297 children 6 to
59 months (of which
98,464 are SAM)
43,452 pregnant and
lactating women
Figure 1: Estimated Caseloads for Children 6-59 months
Requiring Treatment for Acute Malnutrition by County,
February 2017
Mandera
22676
Nairobi
17386
Turkana
9971
West Pokot
7633
Wajir
5918
Garissa
5329
Baringo
2885
34772
30934
25154
23179
20672
13814
Kilifi
1367
3400
Tana River
1028
11009
10709
Samburu
1806
9108
Kisumu
4600
Kwale
829
5093
8708
Isiolo
1368
2087
Mombasa
Area
61845
Marsabit
Narok
Table 1: Estimated Caseloads for Children and PLW Requiring
Treatment for Acute Malnutrition, February 2017
14359
6176
5067
1468 5419
Kitui
2873
Kajiado
3735
1576 4335
Meru
1932 3671
Makueni
243 5344
Laikipia
833 3749
3427
Taita Taveta
Tharaka Nithi
1298
Embu
1272
Nyeri
580
Machakos
404
0
10000
20000
SAM
30000
40000
MAM-U5
50000
60000
SAM
MAM
Children 6- 59 Children 6-59
Total caseload
6-59 months
PLW
ASAL
Urban
75,010
23,454
268,549
45,284
343,559
68,738
37,223
6,229
Total
caseloads
98,464
313,833
412,297
43,452
Key recommendations - immediate response
• Scale up mass screening and referral in order to identify and
treat children and PLW with acute malnutrition including in periurban and urban areas
•Engage community health services to ensure close follow up of
identified cases especially referrals and defaulters
•Scale up integrated outreach services in hard to reach areas
•Link acutely malnourished children and women to existing
social safety net programs
•Scale up of WASH services in areas that are most affected by
drought
•Increased surveillance including regular situation updates and
feedback between and within national and county levels with
strong linkages to response
•Capacity strengthening on Integrated Management of Acute
Malnutrition (IMAM) and IMAM surge
•Manage and strengthen supply chain to ensure appropriate
nutrition commodities are consistently available at health facility
level
•Promote multi-sectoral engagement and collaboration to
ensure coordinated efforts and synergy to address acute
malnutrition
•Hot spot and resource mapping across affected counties
•Update nutrition response plan and step up resource
mobilization efforts nationally
•Ensure active follow up of implementation of emergency
response plans and adjust based on evidence and learning
Created on 9th February 2017. Source: Kenya Food and Nutrition Security Seasonal Assessments. For feedback please contact Gladys Mugambi, Head Nutrition and Dietetics Unit at
[email protected] , Lucy Gathigi at [email protected] or Victoria Mwenda at [email protected]
MAM – Moderate Acute Malnutrition, SAM – Severe Acute Malnutrition