Introduction: Globally severe acute malnutrition affects most children aged under five years old. Particularly
those who are living in the developing world and in the extreme poverty regions were affected more.
Objective: To assess treatment outcome and associated factors of severe acute malnutrition among under five
children in Gondar University tertiary Hospital.
Methods: A cross sectional analysis of two years record was done in Gondar University tertiary Hospital among
under five years old children with severe acute malnutrition who were registered between September 2010 and
August 2012. Data was collected from 298 patient charts and registration book by using data extraction format which
was prepared based on the world health organization standardized manual. Data were entered in to EPI info version
3.5.3 and analyzed by using SPSS for window version 20.
Result: The finding of this study indicated that 68.5% of children were cured and discharged, 19.8% were
defaulters and 11.7% were died. Severely wasted and severely stunted patients were 57.3% and 44.6%
respectively. Children with acute gastroenteritis and HIV co morbidities were nearly three and ten times more likely
to die respectively compared with their counter parts.
Conclusion and recommendation: All treatment outcomes are below the acceptable range of global SPHERE
standards. The hospital should monitor and evaluate therapeutic feeding program to improve treatment outcome
and give emphasis for cases with co morbidities especially acute gastroenteritis and HIV.