In south-east Madagascar, a concerning situation is unfolding as malnutrition rates rise in rural communities.
Years of neglect and multiple nature-induced disasters means local communities are now left particularly vulnerable, and the districts of Nosy Varika and Ikongo are reaching critical emergency thresholds with a Global Acute Malnutrition proxy rate of 18.1% and 15.9% respectively.
The EU is working to alleviate the suffering of millions of children and adults across the island through the funding of humanitarian partners on the ground. Our colleague Karolina Andrzejewska, Team Leader for Southern Africa and Indian Ocean, was recently in Madagascar’s Great Southeast region:
3-year-old Olcina is undergoing treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) at the CRENI centre run by our humanitarian partner Action Contre la Faim (ACF).
© European Union, 2023 (photographer: Karolina Andrzejewska)
CRENI (Centre de Récupération et d'Education Nutritionnelle Intensif) offers in-patient care for SAM cases with medical complications. Since April 2023, ACF has received 11 children under 6 months and 79 over 6 months and recorded 5 deaths and 2 dropouts.
© European Union, 2023 (photographer: Karolina Andrzejewska)
Brigitte is the mum of nine children – her eldest daughter, aged 17, has children of her own, while her youngest, only a year old, has been undergoing SAM treatment at the Mandrosovelo mobile clinic.
© European Union, 2023 (photographer: Karolina Andrzejewska)
The Mandrosovelo mobile clinic provides outpatient care for malnutrition. It opened in October 2023 with an initial patient list of 29 children.
© European Union, 2023 (photographer: Karolina Andrzejewska)
