WHO/UNICEF/WFP Interim guideline: Nutritional Care of Children and Adults with Ebola Virus Disease in Treatment Centres
Author: WHO/UNICEF/WFP
Year: 2014
Resource type: Official
This interim guideline provides recommendations on nutritional support to adults and paediatric patients in Ebola treatment unit (ETUs). It highlights the key clinical problems in patients affected by Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that would interfere with nutritional status and support of patients; what the nutritional needs are; and what nutritional support should be given in the context of the current Ebola crisis. This interim guideline does not provide specific advice on fluid management in cases of vomiting; diarrhoea and dehydration (see ref1 for guidance), or parenteral nutrition.
This interim guideline focuses on nutritional support in all EVD patients during treatment and convalescence in ETUs whilst ensuring safety of health staff and caretakers. It is not a clinical management guideline, but focuses on practical aspects of patients’ nutritional care. It does not focus specifically on malnourished patients. The aim is to provide guidance to programme managers and relevant health staff of organisations that implement or contribute to EVD treatment programmes as well as Ministries of Health.
This interim guideline lays out some basic principles of nutritional care for patients with EVD. The application of the recommendations provided will vary with the context and capacity. Treatment centres for EVD vary from having a few to hundreds of patients; from having resource limitations to being fully equipped; from having a few to sufficient numbers of staff, etc. This interim guideline should be adapted accordingly. While the guidance applies to Ebola Treatment Units, the nutritional principles apply to anyone with Ebola virus disease.
It is anticipated that this guidance will be updated within 6 months.The update will include additional research and input from technical and operational experts. In the meantime, comments and queries should be shared with nutrition@who.int and nutrition@unicef.org
Download
WHO-UNICEF-WFP-Nutritional-care-in-ebola-virus-disease.pdf (PDF, 258kb)
More like this
en-net: What should be the nutritional support to adult patients with Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in treatment centres in West Africa?
Dear experts, I would appreciate your help in this. I drafted the following text but you might have ideas and other suggestions. Please help me on this one... This question...
FEX: En-net update
By Tamsin Walters, en-net moderator Over the past four months1, 32 questions have been posted on en-net, generating 69 responses. Two upcoming trainings have been advertised...
FEX: Nutritional care for patients with Ebola Virus Disease
View this article as a pdf Research snapshot1 During the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak between 2014 and 2016 in West Africa, practitioners faced challenges providing...
en-net: Question to those working on Ebola in charge of feeding patients
Dear colleagues. In 2014, WHO launched interim guidelines on Nutritional care of children and adults with Ebola Virus Disease. I would like to know whether these guidelines...
en-net: Infant feeding and Ebola Outbreak
Posted on behalf of Fabienne Rousseau, ACF I have a question related to infant feeding in the context of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Our teams are engaged in...
en-net: International Medical Corps - 14-881 Emergency Nutrition Officer
Position Summary & Responsibilities: International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through...
en-net: Emergency Nutrition Officer Liberia
International Medical Corps has an opening for an Emergency Nutrition Officer in Liberia for 2 months starting immediately. International Medical Corps is a global,...
FEX: Letters
Dear ENN, If there is one thing that we have learnt from the current Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak it is that regardless of infection status, Ebola comes bringing bad...
Resource: Supporting non-breastfed children as part of an Ebola response - Experiences from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
About this brief In every emergency, it is necessary to assess and act to protect and support the care and nutrition needs of both breastfed and non-breastfed infants and...
New ebola nutrition guidance October 2014
New interim guideline available on Nutritional Care in Adults and Children infected with Ebola virus disease in treatment centres by WHO, UNICEF and WFP. Join en-net...
FEX: Review of the role of food and the food system in the transmission and spread of ebola virus
Summary of research1 Location: West Africa What we know: The current outbreak of ebola virus disease (EVD) centred in West Africa is the largest in history. The full role of...
FEX: Ebola virus disease and breastfeeding: time for attention
View this article as a pdf Research snapshot1 Over 2,800 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo...
FEX: Guidelines for the management of pregnant and breastfeeding women in the context of Ebola virus disease
View this article as a pdf The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently experiencing the second largest Ebola outbreak in history, following a 2014-2016 outbreak in...
FEX: Ebola virus disease and breastfeeding – comment
View this article as a pdf Research snapshot1 The authors commend Mija Ververs and Akanksha Arya2 for highlighting an urgent need for evidence-based breastfeeding guidance in...
FEX: WHO Guideline: Nutritional care and support for patients with TB
Undernutrition increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB) and in turn TB can lead to malnutrition. Undernutrition is therefore highly prevalent among people with TB. It has been...
FEX: Experiences of the Sustainable Nutrition and Agriculture Promotion (SNAP) programme in the Ebola response in Sierra Leone
By Sibida George and Georgia Beans Sibida George is Team Leader with International Medical Corps/ SNAP and is based in Sierra Leone. Georgia Beans is the Chief Of Party with...
FEX: How Ebola virus disease affected nutrition in Sierra Leone – a food value-chain framework to improve future response strategies
View this article as a pdf Research snapshot1 In 2014-2016 an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Sierra Leone resulted in 14,124 cases and 3,956 deaths. This...
en-net: 15-963: Nutrition Program Manager
Essential Job Duties/Scope of Work: International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through...
en-net: 15-333/Nutrition Coordinator
Position Summary & Responsibilities: International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through...
en-net: 15-333: Nutrition Coordinator
Country:Sierra Leone Department:International Operations Essential Job Duties/Scope of Work: International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization...
Reference this page
WHO/UNICEF/WFP (2014). WHO/UNICEF/WFP Interim guideline: Nutritional Care of Children and Adults with Ebola Virus Disease in Treatment Centres. www.ennonline.net/nutritionalcareinevd
(ENN_4584)