An Overview
|
Meds & Food for Kids (MFK) saves the lives of severely malnourished children in Haiti by producing and prescribing Medika Mamba, a Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF):
- Donated and delivered via a mobile clinic
- Implemented through 12 partners that include hospitals, feeding programs, church run medical clinics, and housing projects
Malnutrition:
- Causes heavy economic losses
- Costs poor countries 2-3% of their GDP
- Untreated children will never be as smart, strong, or healthy
- Implicated in 50% of child deaths
- 13-21% of Haitian children are malnourished
Copenhagen Concensus:
Nutrition investment is a "best buy" in reducing poverty and improving economic growth. — World Bank Report
|
This chart, provided by UNICEF, shows that approximately 70% of all childhood deaths in developing countries are caused by just five diseases - pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and HIV/AIDS - and by malnutricion. Many of these children are malnourished because of poor feeing habits, rather than an overall lack of food. |
Innovation Needed: Medika Mamba, The Ultimate Take-Out Food
- Current Treatments (hospitalization, daily feeding programs, dry ration donations) do not work and would not work as well as Medika Mamba
- Higher recovery rates than other treatments: 85% vs. 25%
- $68/child treatment (avg for 8 kg child): lowest cost per recovery
- Least burdensome for caretakers in time away from home, transportation costs, lost opportunities
Medika Mamba: the Gold Standard for Malnutrition Treatment
- No refrigeration needed, no cooking needed, no fuel needed
- Peanuts bought from local Haitian farmers
- Peanut farmers taught best practices to decrease aflatoxin, a toxin permeating food supply in much of the tropical world
- Haitian workers earn a salary
- Most supplies bought in Haiti, contributing to local economy
|
Made in Haiti with Pride
- The Recipe: Peanuts, powdered milk, sugar, oil, vitamins and minerals.
- Factory in Cap Haitien employs 18 people who make the Medika Mamba.
- Packaged for home-based care by caretakers
The Future of Haiti Lies within Haiti Itself
The successful result of this initiative will be embraced by the Ministry of Health in Haiti and encourage adoption of a country-wide policy for this gold standard, best practice treatment of childhood malnutrition.
- Haitian professionals taking care of Haitian children
- 6000 - 8000 children to be treated over two years
- Transfer of technological know-how to Haitian medical
professionals so that Haitians will be treating
Haitian children.
Sustainability and Growth
- With Ministry of Health direction, NGO’s will shift to Medika Mamba
- Potential to treat ALL 160,000 malnourished Haitian children
- Farmers will grow more peanuts
- Aflatoxin will be diminished in the food supply country-wide
|
|
