Impact of COVID-19 on Outpatient Malnutrition Centers in Urban and Rural Burkina Faso

ABSTRACT. Although the numbers of SARS–CoV-2 infections and related deaths are relatively low in sub-Saharan Africa, the pandemic might lead to a high indirect death toll there. We determined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of malnourished children in urban and rural areas. We analyzed data from two Centers for Rehabilitation, Education & Nutrition (CRENs), one in the capital and one in a rural center, both run by the Camillian Fathers. We compared data from the year before the pandemic (2019) with the first 2 years during the pandemic (2020/2021). In the urban CREN, there was a sharp reduction in new patients enrolled, from 340 in the pre-pandemic year to 189 during the first pandemic year and 202 in the second year. The follow-up was significantly shorter during the first pandemic year, with a rebound in the second year (pre: 57 days versus 42 and 63 days for the first and second years, respectively). In the rural CREN, the situation was different: The numbers of patients did not show any significant variation between the pre-pandemic year (191) and the first and second pandemic years (223 and 179, respectively). Different perceptions of the pandemic in urban (high, more testing, more COVID) and rural (low, less information and testing) areas may partly explain this difference. The discrepancy between the decreasing numbers of malnourished children in specialized care during the pandemic—especially in the urban area—is contrary to the lockdown-induced increase in food insecurity and warrants attention to avoid an increase in the silent epidemic of malnourished children in Africa.