‘Wasting Reset’: wasting prevention, early detection and treatment to catalyse action and accountability- Solutions from the wasting treatment scale-up working group
Publication details
In recent years, whilst there has been an increase in interest and investment aimed at reducing wasting, including strong support from national governments, the pace of progress is much too slow to reach global goals and targets. We therefore need a ‘reset’ of childhood wasting prevention, early detection and treatment. This reset aims to galvanise multiple stakeholders around the key actions needed to stimulate progress and ensure accountability in the 2022-2030 period, and will be used by governments and organisations to inform their political and financial commitments to tackling wasting.
To provide technical recommendations on what needs to be done to significantly reduce child wasting, six independent working groups (WGs) were established. These WGs were made up of representatives of more than 40 organisations and governments, who discussed and agreed upon key messages and actions.
The key messages from this Working Group were:
- The integration of child wasting treatment in strengthened health systems: This approach will support the earlier detection of wasting and referral for treatment for wasting, including infants who are born wasted or who become wasted in early infancy. It will ensure that the necessary workforce is in place and is well-trained, that nutrition supplies are available, and that sufficient funding is allocated to ensure there is the capacity to absorb the wasting caseload and accommodate surges in need (such as seasonally or in crises).
- Optimising the efficiency of child wasting service delivery: In order to reach more children with treatment, the scale-up of quality, child wasting services needs to build on evidence-based approaches and needs to include innovations, adapt to specific contexts, and optimise service delivery at all levels. This includes supporting a continuum of care for wasted children and simplifying and contextualising treatment approaches.
