THE EFFECTS OF RESOURCE FLOW Tfe THE PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE HOSPITAL ON THE LENGTH OF STAY OF MALNOURISHED CHILDREN.

ABSTRACT

The Princess Marie Louise Hospital (PML) caters for malnourished

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children suffering from Kwashiorkor, Marasmus or Marasmic

Kwashiorkor with food and drug therapy. All cases admitted are

treated with free food nutrients. In addition, drugs which are

used as supplements are however paid for by the caretakers.

The main problem that the research seeks to investigate is the

frequent inadequacy of its essential supplies namely, food

nutrients and drugs, the consumption of which is believed to have

a positive relationship with the rate of recovery of malnourished

children depending on the quality and quantity provided.

It is therefore hypothesised that, given adequate and timely supply

of essential supplies, the length of stay of malnourished children

will be inversely related to the flow of the essential items to the

hospital.

The results of the study revealed that the average length of stay

at the hospital was 3 5 days, and that mortality among malnourished

children averaged between 12 to 15 deaths per month. However, it

was realised that most of the cases which resulted in deaths were

short stays ranging between 1 and 6 -kdays after admission.j*, The

implication was that, the conditions of the children either

worsened to their terminal stages before they were admitted to the

hospital, or that, they were presented to the hospital at a time when very little could be done medically.

Information processed from data gathered at the kitchen revealed

that there were very wide shortfalls in the records of food items

required and those available for consumption. The erratic nature

of foodstuffs supplied to the kitchen made it impossible for proper

planning and management.)^ Such irregularities which resulted in the

malfunctioning of the kitchen further forced the frequent

substitution of the meals served without any consideration of the

food energy generated from the substitutes.

The study further revealed that though food and drugs could easily

be quantified as the most important ingredients influencing the

rate of recovery of malnourished children at the PML., other

factors which were not easily quantifiable like the medical care,

nursing care and the influence of individual caretakers were very

important influential factors on the length of stay of malnourished

children.