Attachments
3. Executive Summary
Introduction
The Rapid SMART+ Survey was conducted by the REACH Initiative in Hambela Wamena woreda of the West Guji zone, located in the Oromia region. The survey was carried out from January 25 to 29, 2025, which coincided with the lean season. The primary objectives of the survey were to assess the acute malnutrition situation and childhood morbidity and health seeking behaviors among children aged 6-59 months in Hambela Wamena district of West Guji zone.
Methodology
A cross-sectional household survey was conducted to gather data on anthropometry, child morbidity and health seeking behavior. Using a two-stage cluster sampling method based on the SMART methodology, clusters were first selected randomly with probability proportional to size (PPS) to ensure equal chances for every household. Clusters, defined as Gare, were then sampled in the second stage using simple random sampling. The sample size was calculated as 25 clusters, based on the Rapid SMART guidance, as the percentage of children under the age of 5 years was above 15%. Ultimately, 25 clusters were selected, with each cluster comprising 11 households. All clusters (100%) were successfully reached.
Discussion and conclusions
The nutritional assessment in Hambela Wamena revealed varying acute malnutrition rates depending on measurement criteria. Using weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ) and edema, the global acute malnutrition (GAM) prevalence was 6.2% (5.1% moderate, 1.1% severe), rising to 7.2% with mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and edema, and 9.0% when combining both methods. Although the survey coincided with the lean season, a period of heightened food insecurity, it overlapped with the coffee harvest, which likely temporarily bolstered household income and food access. Despite this, WHZ-based GAM (6.2%) falls within the “medium” public health severity classification, underscoring the need for sustained monitoring and targeted interventions to address persistently high malnutrition rates.