Table 3 Disruption scenarios reflecting the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on GNI and nutritional intervention coverage in LMICs

From: The COVID-19 crisis will exacerbate maternal and child undernutrition and child mortality in low- and middle-income countries

 

2020

2021

2022

Pessimistic

Moderate

Optimistic

Pessimistic

Moderate

Optimistic

Pessimistic

Moderate

Optimistic

Change in GNI per capita (mean)

−6.1%

−6.1%

−6.1%

−5.4%

−3.4%

−0.47%

−2.9%

−0.73%

−0.45%

Coverage change relative to the country-specific baseline (pre-COVID-19) by nutrition intervention

Breastfeeding promotion

−42.3%

−22.8%

−14.3%

−21.2%

−11.4%

−7.2%

−10.6%

0%

+5.0%

Complementary feeding SBCC (food secure)

−42.3%

−22.8%

−14.3%

−21.2%

−11.4%

−7.2%

−10.6%

0%

+5.0%

Public provision of complementary foods (food insecure)

−42.3%

−22.8%

−14.3%

−21.2%

−11.4%

−7.2%

−10.6%

0%

+5.0%

Vitamin A supplementation

−42.3%

−22.8%

−14.3%

−21.2%

−11.4%

−7.2%

−10.6%

0%

+5.0%

Treatment of SAM

−50.0%

−25.0%

−15.0%

−25.0%

−12.5%

−7.5%

−12.5%

0%

+5.0%

IFA in pregnancy

−51.9%

−26.9%

−18.5%

−25.9%

−13.4%

−9.2%

−13.0%

0%

0%a

Multiple micronutrients in pregnancy

+5.0%a

Balanced energy and protein supplementation in pregnancy

+10.0%

Treatment of MAMb

+10.0%

  1. Justifications for the magnitude of the changes are outlined in the Methods. Minus symbols indicate a percentage decrease, whereas plus symbols indicate a percentage increase.
  2. aIn 2022, the optimistic scenario for IFA is replaced by multiple micronutrient supplementation, and coverage is increased relative to the IFA baseline.
  3. bFor MAM treatment in children under 5 years of age, an increase to 10% coverage in 2022 is assumed for all 118 countries. Before COVID-19, 36 countries reported MAM programmes.
  4. SBCC, social and behaviour change communication.