Time to Recovery and Treatment Outcomes among Children Aged 6-59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition Admitted to Gardo General Hospital, Puntland, Somalia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Design

Abstract

Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), characterized by an extremely low weight-for-height or length, represents a significant health challenge in Somalia, where complex crises contribute to elevated mortality rates among children under five years of age. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the median recovery time and assess treatment outcomes for children aged 6-59 months with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) admitted to Gardo General Hospital in Gardo, Puntland, Somalia. An institutional-based retrospective cohort study was conducted from July 2023 to July 2025, utilizing data collected from a systematically random selected sample of 250 children through the children’s inquiry data form. Data entry was performed using the KOBO Toolbox and subsequently exported to R Programming version 4.4.0 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to examine demographic and care-related characteristics, anthropometric characteristics, and complication-related characteristics. Survival curves, such as Kaplan-Meier curves, were generated to estimate the median recovery time from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). The findings of this study indicated that 239(95.6%) children achieved successful treatment outcomes, 4(1.6%) children were transferred out, 4(1.6%) defaulted on their treatment, and 2 children (0.8%) remained in the program during the study period. Unfortunately, there was one recorded fatality, accounting for 1(0.4%) of the cases. In conclusion, this study underscores the significant health challenge posed by severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Somalia, highlighting the necessity for timely intervention and effective treatment strategies. With a notable recovery rate of 95.6%, the findings demonstrate the efficacy of treatment protocols at Gardo General Hospital, while also recognizing the ongoing need for support and resources to address the complexities of malnutrition in the region. These results offer valuable insights for healthcare policy and practice, with the aim of improving outcomes for vulnerable children in Puntland.