Combating Malnutrition: SHUMAS Champions Joint Health Response in Kousseri, the Far North region of Cameroon

A coordinated health and nutrition campaign in Kousseri has strengthened efforts to identify, assess and support children affected by malnutrition, with more than 500 children receiving care and nutritional screening during a week-long intervention.

The joint nutritional care activity was conducted from 19 to 26 August 2026 at the Intensive Therapeutic Nutrition Centre (CNTI) of the Regional Hospital of Maroua, Kousseri Annex, bringing together health authorities, frontline health workers, nutrition partners and community actors.

The initiative highlights the importance of coordinated action in addressing malnutrition, particularly among children who require early identification and specialised nutritional care.

SHUMAS mobilises staff to support vulnerable children

As part of the campaign, SHUMAS mobilised its staff based in Kousseri to support the nutritional assessment and referral process.

Children being followed at different Centres Nutritionnels Ambulatoires (CNAS) were brought to the CNTI for further assessment. The exercise enabled health workers to identify children presenting signs of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and determine appropriate specialised follow-up.

Children were accompanied by their mothers or other caregivers, ensuring that families were directly involved in the assessment and care process.

The intervention brought together several levels of the health system, reinforcing the link between community-based nutritional monitoring and specialised therapeutic care.

Community mobilisation at the centre of the response

Community mobilisation played an important role in the success of the campaign. Health-centre managers and nutrition focal points from Amchidire, Hilé-Haoussa, Pagui, Par-Par and Madana worked to sensitise communities and encourage families to bring children for screening.

Such community-level engagement is critical in the fight against malnutrition because early detection can significantly improve the chances of receiving appropriate care before a child’s condition becomes more severe.

Families were encouraged to seek nutritional assessment and appropriate medical support for children showing signs of nutritional vulnerability.

The mobilisation also helped connect communities with existing health and nutrition services, demonstrating how frontline health workers can serve as an important bridge between households and specialised facilities.

More than 500 children reached

More than 500 children were taken care of during the campaign, representing a significant outreach effort in the Kousseri health area. The number of children reached illustrates both the scale of nutritional needs and the importance of accessible screening and referral mechanisms.

For children affected by Severe Acute Malnutrition, timely identification and referral are particularly important. Without appropriate treatment and follow-up, acute malnutrition can have serious consequences for children’s health, growth and overall development.

The campaign therefore served not only as a screening exercise but also as an opportunity to strengthen continuity of care for children already being monitored through community-based nutrition facilities.

A coordinated approach to malnutrition

The intervention involved the Kousseri Health District, the Regional Delegation of Public Health and nutrition partners, alongside SHUMAS staff and community health actors.

The collaboration demonstrates the value of a multi-stakeholder approach to public health challenges. Malnutrition cannot be addressed by health facilities alone. Effective prevention and treatment require cooperation among government health authorities, health workers, nutrition specialists, humanitarian and development partners, community leaders and families.

Community awareness is equally important. Parents and caregivers need information about child nutrition, early warning signs and where to seek assistance when a child requires specialised care. The Kousseri campaign provides an example of how these different actors can work together to strengthen the identification and management of malnutrition.

The human rights dimension of child nutrition

From a human rights perspective, access to adequate healthcare and nutrition is closely linked to the protection of children’s rights.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of inadequate nutrition. Ensuring that children can access appropriate health and nutritional services is therefore an important component of protecting their well-being and dignity.

The response in Kousseri also underscores the importance of equitable access to healthcare. Children should not be excluded from essential services because of where they live, their family’s economic circumstances or other barriers to accessing healthcare.

For vulnerable communities in the Far North, strengthening community-level services and referral pathways can help bring essential care closer to families who may otherwise face difficulties accessing specialised treatment.

SHUMAS reaffirms commitment to equitable health services

Through its participation in the campaign, SHUMAS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting equitable access to health and nutrition services.

The organisation’s mobilisation of its Kousseri-based staff demonstrates the importance of having health and humanitarian actors embedded within communities and able to respond when nutritional needs emerge.

The campaign also highlights a broader principle: every child identified, referred and properly cared for represents an opportunity to prevent avoidable suffering and improve the health of the wider community.

While one campaign cannot resolve the wider challenges associated with malnutrition, coordinated interventions can contribute to early detection, treatment and stronger referral systems.

Sustaining the fight against malnutrition

The success of the Kousseri activity also raises the importance of sustaining nutritional screening and care beyond individual campaigns.

Regular community sensitisation, adequate staffing, reliable nutritional supplies, functioning referral systems and accessible therapeutic centres remain essential to ensuring that children receive timely assistance.

Health authorities and partners can build on the lessons from the August campaign by strengthening collaboration between community health facilities and specialised nutrition centres.

The involvement of families must also remain central. Parents and caregivers are often the first to notice changes in a child’s health and can play a decisive role in seeking assistance early.

A step towards healthier communities

The joint nutritional care activity in Kousseri demonstrates what can be achieved when public health authorities, frontline workers, partners and communities work together around a shared objective. With more than 500 children reached between 19 and 26 August 2026, the campaign represents an important intervention in efforts to identify and respond to child malnutrition in the area.

For SHUMAS and its partners, the message is clear: combating malnutrition requires sustained collaboration, community participation and equitable access to appropriate care. For every child identified, referred and treated, the response moves one step closer to building healthier and more resilient communities in Kousseri and the wider Far North Region of Cameroon.