At the CRENAS, MUAC as unique anthropometric criteria for admission, monitoring, and care for the SAM output will be used.

The criteria for admission include:

• MUAC <120 mm
• Bilateral edema of grade + or ++

The criteria for release of care include:

• MUAC ≥ 125 mm at 2 consecutive visits
• Minimum stay 3 weeks in the program
• Absence of acute medical complications
• Absence of edema

Regular screenings in the communities on children between 6 and 59 months of age. Children with MUAC<125 mm will be referred to Nutrition Centers for admission.

The criteria for admission include:

• MUAC<115 mm and/or
• Z score <-3 and /or
• Bilateral edema of grade + or ++

The criteria for release of care include:

• MUAC ≥ 125 mm at 2 consecutive visits
• Minimum stay 3 weeks in the program
• Absence of acute medical complications
• Absence of edema

All children admitted to the PB program will receive standard care according to the national Protocol and that of MSF, including preventive and therapeutic care at admission as well as hospital care in case of clinical complications. There will be no change in the Protocol for the hospital care to the CRENI (Center of Intensive Nutritional Rehabilitation). RUTF (Ready-to-Use therapeutic food) will be distributed on a weekly basis according to the dosage of RUTF in the national protocol.

Compare the average daily weight gain and the duration of the nutritional treatment per group compare the results of the PB programme, including the overall risk of recovery, transfer, of abandonment, of death, of PB and weight gain and the length of stay by age (6-23 months, compared to 24-59 months), compared the results of the program standard;

Assessment of the risk of readmission 3 months after discharged of the child will be evaluated at 3 months (+/- one week) after discharged of the child

Compare the death rate between the two groups

Document coverage of the nutrition program before and after the implementation of the