The study focuses on the hospital-based local formulation of dairy legume-based therapeutic food as a strategy for managing severe acute malnutrition among children aged 6 to 59 months.

Severe Acute Malnutrition remains a grave issue afflicting children under five years old in the northern regions of Ghana. This condition is often linked to increased infections and, in some cases, fatalities (WHO, 2002; WHO, 2013; WHO, 2021). Disturbingly, over ten million children succumb to SAM before reaching their fifth birthday annually (UNICEF, 2018). In developing countries, children under five with SAM require hospitalization, but the concerning case fatality rates range between 30% and 50% (Ashworth et al., 1994).While the WHO's standardized hospital-based management of SAM shows recovery rates of approximately 80% and case fatality rates ranging from 3.4% to 35% (Black et al., 2013, Hossain et al., 2009, Khanum et al., 1998), only a small fraction of SAM-affected children are currently receiving effective treatment. To address the situation, locally produced Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) has been employed for the past two years in select northern Ghana hospitals. This shift has become necessary due to the constraints faced by UNICEF in providing therapeutic formulas, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and various conflicts, including the Ukrainian war. These challenges have led to escalating prices and persistent shortages of therapeutic supplies, significantly impacting the management of hospitalized SAM cases (UNICEF, 2022; WHO, 2002).The typical approach to managing SAM relies on therapeutic formulas that supply essential nutrients for weight gain and recovery. Although standard RUTF has proven effective, it encounters obstacles related to accessibility and availability. In numerous healthcare settings, locally prepared RUTF offers potential advantages by utilizing locally sourced ingredients and aligning with cultural preferences. Secondary data from Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) and Kings Medical Centre (KMC) show promising recovery rates of 78% and 83%, respectively, with the usage of local RUTF. Despite adherence to WHO procedures for local RUTF preparation and positive outcomes, there exists a gap in experimental research comparing its nutritional efficacy to the standard formulation in Ghana, particularly in the northern region.As a result, there is a dearth of evidence comparing the effectiveness of locally prepared RUTF with standard formulas, underscoring the need for further research. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by assessing the nutritional impact of locally prepared RUTF. The findings will contribute to the development of context-specific interventions that are not only accessible and culturally appropriate but also effective. Ultimately, this research endeavours to enhance management strategies for SAM, leading to improved health outcomes for affected children.