lower jubba, KISMAYO somalia — 26 april 2025 — In a proactive effort to combat food insecurity and protect the lives of vulnerable displaced populations, the Mercy Health Initiative (MHI) medical team visited the New Qaam Qaam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp this week to conduct a mass Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screening.
Families living in displacement camps often face severe barriers to accessing adequate food and clean water, putting young children and mothers at a high risk of malnutrition. Recognizing this urgent need, the MHI team deployed directly into the camp to assess the nutritional status of its most at-risk residents.
During the visit, MHI health workers utilized the MUAC tape—a simple, color-coded diagnostic tool—to rapidly and accurately measure the nutritional health of hundreds of children aged 6 to 59 months, as well as pregnant and lactating women.
Children and mothers whose measurements fell into the "yellow" (Moderate Acute Malnutrition - MAM) and "red" (Severe Acute Malnutrition - SAM) zones were immediately registered. The MHI team established direct referral pathways for these individuals, ensuring they are enrolled in Outpatient Therapeutic Programs (OTP) and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programs (TSFP) to receive life-saving therapeutic foods and medical monitoring.
"Early detection is the difference between life and death when it comes to childhood malnutrition," said dr mohamed elmi, Nutrition Lead at Mercy Health Initiative. "By bringing MUAC screenings directly into the New Qaam Qaam IDP camp, we are bypassing the barriers these families face in accessing healthcare. We are ensuring that malnourished children are identified early and receive immediate, life-saving interventions before their conditions become critical."
In addition to the screenings, the MHI team utilized the visit to empower the community through education. Health workers held brief, localized awareness sessions for mothers and caregivers, focusing on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices, the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, and basic hygiene practices to prevent malnutrition-related diseases like diarrhea.
Camp residents expressed deep relief at the team's arrival. "Seeing your child grow weak is terrifying, but many of us cannot afford to travel to distant hospitals," shared Halima colow, a mother residing in the New Qaam Qaam camp. "The Mercy Health team not only checked my baby’s health today but also helped us get the special food he needs to recover. We are very grateful they came to us."
The successful MUAC screening at New Qaam Qaam is part of Mercy Health Initiative’s broader, ongoing strategy to combat preventable diseases and malnutrition in crisis-affected regions. MHI remains committed to returning to the camp for follow-up screenings and continuous monitoring of the children undergoing treatment.
The organization continues to appeal to international partners, local authorities, and donors to support sustained nutritional and healthcare interventions to ensure no child in displacement goes hungry.
Families living in displacement camps often face severe barriers to accessing adequate food and clean water, putting young children and mothers at a high risk of malnutrition. Recognizing this urgent need, the MHI team deployed directly into the camp to assess the nutritional status of its most at-risk residents.
During the visit, MHI health workers utilized the MUAC tape—a simple, color-coded diagnostic tool—to rapidly and accurately measure the nutritional health of hundreds of children aged 6 to 59 months, as well as pregnant and lactating women.
Children and mothers whose measurements fell into the "yellow" (Moderate Acute Malnutrition - MAM) and "red" (Severe Acute Malnutrition - SAM) zones were immediately registered. The MHI team established direct referral pathways for these individuals, ensuring they are enrolled in Outpatient Therapeutic Programs (OTP) and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programs (TSFP) to receive life-saving therapeutic foods and medical monitoring.
"Early detection is the difference between life and death when it comes to childhood malnutrition," said dr mohamed elmi, Nutrition Lead at Mercy Health Initiative. "By bringing MUAC screenings directly into the New Qaam Qaam IDP camp, we are bypassing the barriers these families face in accessing healthcare. We are ensuring that malnourished children are identified early and receive immediate, life-saving interventions before their conditions become critical."
In addition to the screenings, the MHI team utilized the visit to empower the community through education. Health workers held brief, localized awareness sessions for mothers and caregivers, focusing on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices, the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, and basic hygiene practices to prevent malnutrition-related diseases like diarrhea.
Camp residents expressed deep relief at the team's arrival. "Seeing your child grow weak is terrifying, but many of us cannot afford to travel to distant hospitals," shared Halima colow, a mother residing in the New Qaam Qaam camp. "The Mercy Health team not only checked my baby’s health today but also helped us get the special food he needs to recover. We are very grateful they came to us."
The successful MUAC screening at New Qaam Qaam is part of Mercy Health Initiative’s broader, ongoing strategy to combat preventable diseases and malnutrition in crisis-affected regions. MHI remains committed to returning to the camp for follow-up screenings and continuous monitoring of the children undergoing treatment.
The organization continues to appeal to international partners, local authorities, and donors to support sustained nutritional and healthcare interventions to ensure no child in displacement goes hungry.
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