Health & Nutrition

GREDO’s Health and Nutrition Programming
in South Sudan

Strengthening Community Health and Nutrition for a Resilient South Sudan

Grass Root Empowerment and Development Organization(GREDO) is a local humanitarian agency in South Sudan dedicated to improving health and nutrition outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations. Its programming is designed to strengthen health systems, provide essential care to children and mothers, and combat malnutrition through evidence-based approaches. Key areas of focus include health systems management, Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), and Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN).

Building Resilient Health Systems and
Nutrition Solutions

Health Systems Management

GREDO works to enhance the capacity and efficiency of health systems in South Sudan by:

  • Supporting the establishment and strengthening of primary healthcare facilities.
  • Training healthcare workers to improve service delivery.
  • Advocating for policy and regulatory frameworks that facilitate effective health governance.
  • Ensuring supply chain management of essential medicines and medical supplies.
  • Strengthening referral pathways to secondary and tertiary healthcare services.

Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)

The IMCI strategy is a key component of GREDO’s health programming, aimed at reducing child morbidity and mortality through:

  • Capacity building of health workers to diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and malnutrition.
  • Community outreach and education on early detection and management of childhood illnesses.
  • Strengthening linkages between community health workers through the Boma Health Initiative and formal health facilities.
  • Promoting immunization and preventive care interventions.

 

Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)

GREDO implements CMAM programs to address acute malnutrition, particularly in crisis-affected areas, through:

  • Outpatient Therapeutic Programs (OTP): Providing treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) without medical complications using ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).
  • Supplementary Feeding Programs (SFP): Supporting children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and pregnant and lactating women with targeted nutritional support.
  • Stabilization Centers (SC): Managing cases of SAM with complications that require inpatient care.
  • Community Mobilization: Conducting active case-finding and referral through trained community nutrition volunteers.

Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN)

To promote optimal maternal and child nutrition, GREDO implements MIYCN interventions focused on:

  • Promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.
  • Providing complementary feeding education for caregivers.
  • Conducting behavior change communication to enhance maternal dietary diversity and micronutrient intake. This is mainly done through the Mother to Mother Support Groups (MtMSGs)
  • Supporting antenatal and postnatal nutrition services, including micronutrient supplementation and counseling.
  • Engaging fathers and community leaders to foster supportive environments for maternal and child nutrition.

Through its health and nutrition programming, GREDO plays a crucial role in improving healthcare access and nutritional outcomes in South Sudan. By strengthening health systems, implementing IMCI, managing acute malnutrition through CMAM, and promoting MIYCN practices, GREDO contributes to the resilience and well-being of communities facing humanitarian and developmental challenges.