The ZimVac report stated that there were 5000 under nourished children with moderate acute malnutrition around the country during the peak hunger period of the 2016-2017 farming season promulgated by recurrent droughts and famines in the country. Treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) was a response to reduce moderate acute malnutrition in Umguza, Gwanda and Matobo districts in the 2016-17 farming season. ZimVac findings showed that MAM levels were now at 6%, a figure that was higher than Global Acute Malnutrition, hence, the need to treat identified cases. The target group was 6-59 months category that presented a Middle Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) of between 11.5 and 12.5cm.
The target of reaching out to 1 800 children affected by malnutrition in the three districts was met. A monthly ration was 6kg of super cereal plus which was a ready to use food supplement was distributed per child in the districts with the help of the health personnel and village health workers. Care givers received counselling on nutrition and general baby care as well as prepare balanced diet for the family. The health centres also benefited from the program as they could draw up MAM registers which were not only used for this program but for future programming as well. Children were weighed each time they visited the health facility; thus, making it easy to track the progress or lack of it in the rehabilitation of affected children. Children who visited the health facility at the time of the project implementation had their anthropometric measurements checked as well as receiving nutritional information that was disseminated.