Malnutrition affects 45 million children around the world, with 2 million dying from the treatable condition every year. A simple tape measure is being used as an accessible, affordable diagnostic tool for acute malnutrition. The color-coded tape measure is wrapped around a child’s mid-upper arm, and the colors indicate malnutrition levels. The product can be used by community healthcare workers and parents at home, which reduces the need to travel to far-away clinics for a diagnosis. Ready To Use Therapeutic Food, known as RUTF, is a common remedy for malnutrition but is often only available to those with severe cases. The International Rescue Committee has created a dosage system in an effort to make the treatment accessible for all children suffering from malnutrition. The IRC’s uncomplicated process of having an easy diagnosis process, an effective treatment option, and convenient care centers has resulted in malnutrition recovery in over 90% of patients, and is over 20% cheaper than traditional methods.
Image via IRC
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