CREN DE BASSE
DURING 2024 The CREN of Basse exceeds the income of 2023 by 14%:
233 boys and girls treated for acute malnutrition
During 2024, the Basse CREN has treated a total of 233 children for acute malnutrition, thus exceeding the 205 of the previous year, which represents an increase of 14%. These figures are not only due to the difficulty in accessing food by the population in Gambia but are also the result of an important task by the CREN professionals in the early detection of malnutrition.
These data do not show all the activity carried out by the CREN, but rather that throughout the year, 226 children have been treated with outpatient nutritional monitoring suffering from mild malnutrition. In addition, 1,356 follow-up visits were recorded. The minors treated usually go to the center on average between 6 and 7 visits until they recover, a period that is approximately 2 months, during which they are given a nutritional reinforcement (Plumpy Nut).
Seasonal hunger at a time of year when there is little food is still a reality that can be seen in the graph (3rd quarter) and therefore the task of training in food preservation methods remains a priority for us, allowing us to carry out a training process aimed at mothers with new techniques.
In 2025, we are working with the ULPGC to propose new strategies to respond to this problem and strengthen food security, awareness and nutritional support in the most vulnerable communities.
Income to the Basse CREN in each quarter of the year
205 CHILDREN ADMITTED TO OVERCOME MALNUTRITION IN THE CREN OF BASSE, GAMBIA IN 2023
The inflation in prices of the basic food basket has resulted in a 14% increase in admissions compared to the 180 recorded in 2022. Additionally, seasonal hunger is increasingly concentrated during the months when families have exhausted their food reserves (from July to October).
As the majority of the population depends on agriculture, there is a strong seasonality in the increase of hunger around the harvest season, especially in the third or fourth quarter of the year. This can be observed in the admission data at the CREN.
205 BABIES ADMITTED IN 2023
We also observe that 10% of the babies are under 6 months old, and the gender breakdown indicates equal care for boys and girls.
Of the babies admitted to the CREN, 180 stabilized and were successfully discharged, 14 were referred to the hospital, 6 were discharged with home follow-up for nutritional support and 2 were discharged voluntarily.
Currently, a new agreement has been signed between Nutrition Without Borders and the health authorities of Gambia for the period 2023-2026.
Recognizing the need to reinvigorate the management of CREN in recent years and acknowledging the challenges of the international context characterized by increasing food vulnerability worldwide, a unanimous agreement has been reached on the necessity to take preventive action and enter a new phase of co-management focused on strengthening the Nutritional Recovery and Education Centers (CRENs) in Basse and Soma as dynamic and safe spaces to promote nutritional health and its treatment for the period 2023-2026.
The signing of the new Cooperation Agreement (MOU) has been vital, as it has led the Gambian authorities, specifically the Ministry of Health and the National Nutrition Agency (NANA), to recognize the importance of not only focusing on treating malnutrition but also strengthening capacities for prevention and early diagnosis through community screenings.
The alarming public health situation data published by WHO underscores the urgency of our efforts. Therefore, we have aimed to incorporate a joint co-management effort focused on six of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The healthcare staff at CREN has increased their preventive efforts by conducting talks within the CREN premises for both hospitalized families and those babies who, due to their less severe condition, only come for weekly follow-up appointments. They also provide support with nutritional supplements.
As a tool to disseminate health and nutrition messages, posters have been created with various themes and local designs to easily capture attention, accompanied by short texts in English and local languages such as Wolof and Pular.
Three posters have been edited: the first provides guidelines for improving nutrition education, the second focuses on preventive measures for pregnant and expectant mothers, and the third addresses prevention strategies to combat malaria proliferation.
With the support of co-development, we are working on methodologies and mechanisms to promote the materials for Intercultural Community Nutrition Education. Therefore, a logo has been designed based on the materials developed through a participatory workshop involving all local workers at CREN.
ACTIVITY
2022
During 2022, the CREN of Basse has cared for 180 admitted minors, 153 of whom were stabilized and discharged, 19 were referred to the hospital, 1 died and 7 minors left the CREN with voluntary discharge.
2021
In 2021, a total of 173 minors have been admitted to the CREN in Basse. Noteworthy is the increase in children under 2 months admitted (9%), a fact that may be an indicator that the number of boys and girls with low birth weight has increased.
The support for the program to fight against
maternal and infant child malnutrition
