VALID International, the Coverage Monitoring Network, the World Food Programme and Brixton Health have launched a new coverage estimator.

     Why create a new coverage estimator? Currently we use two different estimators for coverage: point and period coverage. The first only includes SAM cases; the second includes SAM cases and also recovering cases. Depending on the context, one is preferably used instead of the other; but it is not always easy to make this choice. That is why research has been conducted to create a unique estimator: the single coverage estimator.

     How is it calculated? The single coverage estimator includes both recovering cases that are admitted and that are not in the programme. Here is its calculation:

Cin = current SAM cases in the programme Cout = current SAM cases not in the programme R in = recovering SAM cases in the programme R out = recovering SAM cases not in the programme