MAMI Project. Technical Review: Current evidence, policies, practices & programme outcomes

The MAMI Project focuses on infants aged less than six months (0 to 5.9 months old). From hereon, this age-group is referred to as ‘infant <6m’ (plural ‘infants <6m’). Older infants and young children aged six to 59 months are referred to as ‘children 6 to 59m’. 

Aim: The aim of the MAMI Project is to investigate the management of acutely malnourished infants <6m in emergency programmes, in order to improve practice by contributing to evidence-based, better practice guidelines. 

Objectives: Focused on acutely malnourished infants <6m, the objectives are: 

• To establish the infant burden of disease.
• To establish what is currently advised in the form of guidelines, policies and strategies 
• To determine what is carried out in practice 
• On the basis of this ‘field evidence’ and other relevant published literature, to make recommendations for future practice and research. 

Vision: Long term, all malnourished infants should receive effective, evidence-based care. There are multiple competing health needs in vulnerable populations, therefore strategies to treat this group should also be cost effective and achieve maximal possible public health impact. 

Outputs: Evidence presented in the MAMI report will be used to form the basis of: 

• Summary report targeted at field staff, with an emphasis on content relevant to inform better practice 
• Published research

It is hoped that the MAMI Project will provide a starting place for the development of a stronger evidence base through further operational and formal research, leading to more formal best practice guidelines in future. 

Target audience: This report should be of particular interest to: 

a) Policy makers, programme managers and clinicians involved in MAMI in emergency contexts and nutritionally vulnerable settings. 

b) Professionals in related disciplines with indirect involvement in MAMI, such as neonatal, reproductive health, psychosocial, speech and language, breastfeeding counsellors and community development specialists. 

c) Researchers, students and others wishing to gain a rapid overview of current practices and key issues surrounding MAMI.