NUTRITION INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ETHIOPIA

Child Nutrition Status in Ethiopia Wasting: 10.5%, Stunting: 46.5%, Underweight: 38.4% (DHS, 2005)

Demographic Health Surveys Purpose: Long-term planning & policy-making Implementers: CSA (Central Statistical Authority) Frequency: every 5 years Geographic coverage: national Targets: children 0-59 months + women Indicators: WFH, WFA, HFA and BMI Method: Two stage cluster sampling (1 st stage PPS on enumeration areas, 2 nd stage systematic random selection on HH lists) Issues: quality of anthropometric data unknown, BMI not adjusted, seasonality, inaccurate results by region, long delays in analyzing/publishing

Welfare Monitoring Surveys Purpose: Long-term planning & policy-making Implementers: CSA and MofFED Frequency: every 2-4 years Geographic coverage: national Targets: children 3-59 months Indicators: WFH, WFA and HFA Method: Two stage cluster sampling Issues: quality of anthropometric data unknown, age band, seasonality

Micronutrient Surveys Purpose: Long-term planning & policy-making Implementers: Ethiopian National Research Institute Frequency: not regular (last one in 2005, previous one in 1981) Geographic coverage: national and regional Targets: children and women Indicators: Vitamin A, Iodine and Iron Method: multi-stage cluster sampling

Small Scale Nutrition Surveys Purpose: Short-term emergency response and program monitoring/evaluation Implementers: NGOs and EWD of the Gvt of Ethiopia Frequency: ad hoc, based on EW indicators and donor requirements in NGO project areas Geographic coverage: district or livelihood zone Targets: children 65 to 110 cm Indicators: WFH, MUAC and oedema Method: 30 x 30 cluster surveys since 2002 and SMART methodology since 2006 Issues: limited geographic coverage, lack of baseline data, use limited to GAM/SAM

Sentinel Site Surveillance Operational from the early 80ies to 2002 in 9 drought-prone zones of Ethiopia – funded by SC-UK Purpose: Early Warning Frequency: every three months Geographic coverage: administrative zone Targets: children 70 to 110 cm Indicators: mean weight for height Method: random sample of 12 clusters in each zone, longitudinal survey of 50 children per cluster Issues: financial and technical sustainability

Community-Based Nutrition Data Purpose: identification of acutely malnourished children for the Therapeutic and Supplementary Feeding Implementers: Ministry of Health Frequency: every 6 months Geographic coverage: district level, 350 districts Targets: children 65 to 110 cm Indicators: MUAC and oedema Method: central screening undertaken along mass campaign of vitamin A supplementation, deworming, and measles vaccination. Issues: quality of data, self-selected sample, frequency, delayed data flow

Feeding Program Data Sources: admission rates from Therapeutic Feeding Programs (TFU or OTP) Implementers: Ministry of Health and NGOs Frequency: every month Geographic coverage: district level Targets: children 0-59 months Indicators: WFH, MUAC and oedema Issues: poor and erratic reporting