Assessment of knowledge and facility compliance with the WHO SAM Guidelines among health professionals in the Volta Region of Ghana

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess health staff’s knowledge and facility compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) treatment guidelines for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in selected hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana. Design: This study employed a cross-sectional design. Setting: Three hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana: Ho Municipal Hospital, Ho Teaching Hospital and Adidome Government Hospital. Participants: All health staff, including doctors, dietitians, nurses, and health assistants/health aides, involved in the treatment of SAM in the pediatric wards of the selected hospitals (70 in all). Main outcome measure: Health staff’s training and knowledge of the WHO protocol for management of SAM, as well as their facility’s compliance with the feeding aspect of the WHO protocol. Results: Majority of respondents (84%) had adequate knowledge of the WHO protocol, whilst only 37.1% graded their facilities as compliant with the feeding aspect of the WHO protocol. Less than half (41.4%) of participants received training on the WHO protocol for SAM management. There were significant associations between the training of participants on the WHO protocol and their knowledge of the WHO treatment guidelines, as well as the facility’s compliance with the feeding aspect of the guidelines. Conclusion: Despite adequate knowledge of the WHO SAM protocol among health professionals, the majority graded their facilities as non-compliant, highlighting the need for targeted training and institutional support to improve adherence and enhance SAM treatment outcomes in Ghana.