Until recently, treatment of SAM has been mainly hospital-based, greatly limiting its coverage and access. Other disadvantages of hospital-based treatment are that i) children may not be taken until they are very ill, making treatment of SAM more difficult, ii) hospitals become overcrowded if they are the only source of treatment iii) SAM children are at high risk of cross-infection in overcrowded wards and iv) children may have to leave before they are ready if parents need to return home to work or look after the family.

Evidence shows that large numbers of SAM children can be treated in their communities without being admitted to a hospital or a therapeutic feeding centre. Based on this evidence, community-based management has been introduced so as to reach the entire SAM population and provide treatment before complications arise.

Before you move to the next page, think about what would be the principles of CMAM and what it consists of.