Nourishing futures: Tackling child malnutrition in Vanuatu 

When your child falls ill, your first instinct as a parent is to help them seek treatment so they can recover quickly.   

This was the case for Alvin, a mother in Vanuatu. Alvin and her two-year-old son Thomas live on an island in the northern part of Vanuatu and after Thomas would barely eat, he was admitted to the hospital due to severe malnutrition and other health issues.  

“We were here one week after his condition started to improve. He would finish his therapeutic treatment given every 2 to 3 hours and would drink all the [therapeutic] milk that was provided for him in a bottle,” says Alvin.   

Over time, with consistent care, including malnutrition treatment and special therapeutic milk, Thomas’s condition began to improve, and he is now recovering.  

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Tackling childhood nutrition in Vanuatu

On the frontline 

Malnutrition is not only about lack of food, it’s a complex crisis caused by illness, unsafe water, limited access to healthcare and other factors. Without timely treatment, severe acute malnutrition can be deadly.  

In Vanuatu, the situation is dire. Nearly one in three children are stunted (a life-threatening condition that is a result of chronic nutritional deficiencies) and 12% of children are underweight.  

At the hospital, children with malnutrition are treated first with therapeutic milk, which usually sees improvements. “Then after three days, depending on the patient's condition we switch to F100 [therapeutic milk],” says Helinson.  

A brighter tomorrow for every child 

UNICEF is on the ground in Vanuatu, working to tackle the growing malnutrition crisis that threatens the health of the country’s children through providing:   

• Therapeutic milk and therapeutic food for treatment of acute malnutrition 
• Equipment (scales, baby measures) and supplies for growth monitoring, and nutrition screening 
• Iron and folic acid supplements for pregnant and lactating women 
• Vitamin A and deworming tablets for young children 

“We have a triple burden of malnutrition in the country we're in,” says Katherine Faigao, a UNICEF Nutrition Specialist. “We have a group of children who are undernourished, and then a group of children who are overnourished, and a cohort of children who are also suffering from micronutrient deficiencies.” 

In partnership with the local government, UNICEF also conducts the ‘Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition’. This lifesaving initiative ensures that children are screened in their local communities and that those identified as having malnutrition receive the necessary care.   

“They get admitted to the health care facility, receive essential drugs and also therapeutic food to be able to manage their condition,” says Katherine. “It is important to have a very strong, primary health care foundation, that's a prerequisite to a resilient health system.” 

Building strong, community-focused systems has also been central to UNICEF’s response in Vanuatu. “We have also been successful in making sure that there is a regular system of identifying severely malnourished children and referring them to the health facilities so that they can receive appropriate care.”  

When children have access to nutritious food, they are better able to grow, learn, and be healthy throughout their life. Together, we can support communities in Vanuatu, the Pacific and beyond to create healthier, thriving futures for generations to come.