Factors Affecting Monitoring and Evaluation of Malnutrition Reduction Programs among Children under Five Years in Wanging’ombe District, Njombe, Tanzania

Abstract

The study on factors affecting the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of malnutrition reduction among children under five years was conducted in Wanging’ombe District. A total of 98 nurses were randomly selected purposively across 15 health facilities. Purposive sampling was used to select the heads of health facilities. Data collection methods included interviews, documentary reviews, and focus group discussions. The study focused on two specific objectives. The first objective was to investigate M&E practices related to malnutrition reduction among children under five. Descriptive statistical analysis was employed. The results revealed that common M&E practices included the preparation and use of standard M&E tools (66%), participatory monitoring and evaluation (65%), frequent meetings (67%), and supportive supervision (65%). To examine the determinants of M&E practices in reducing malnutrition among children under five, multiple linear regression analysis was used for analysis. The results showed that the involvement of NGOs and CSOs P-value 0.023, the financial capacity of organizations p- value 0.016,, the availability of M&E experts p -value  0.003, and the functionality of the M&E system p value 0.024 had significant effects on M&E practices, as their p-values were below 0.05. The government should involve NGOs in the fight against malnutrition, as they contribute significantly to its reduction. Additionally, the government should emphasize the use of robust M&E systems and prioritize the recruitment of M&E experts to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation for reducing malnutrition among children under five.