KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that it has admitted over 343,000 children for acute malnutrition treatment in Afghanistan since January 2024.
In a social media post on Sunday, September 22, UNICEF stated that therapeutic food is essential for treating severe acute malnutrition and that the agency is the sole supplier of this food in Afghanistan.
Following the collapse of the republic government in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s takeover, the humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate, making the country one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The country’s economy has collapsed, leaving millions without access to basic necessities. This situation has disproportionately impacted children, who are among the most vulnerable.
According to the UN, over half of Afghanistan’s population, nearly 24 million people including more than 12 million children, are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance this year.
Save the Children previously reported that over 6 million children in Afghanistan are experiencing crisis or emergency levels of hunger this year, with nearly 3 million children under five suffering from acute malnutrition.
Earlier this month, local sources in eastern Nangarhar informed KabulNow that at least 700 children have died from malnutrition and seasonal diseases in the province over the past six months.
Similarly, health sources in northeastern Badakhshan province reported that 26 children have died from malnutrition in the region over the past six months.
The sources attributed the increase in malnutrition in the country to poor economic conditions and limited access to healthcare facilities.
The UN says that malnutrition rates in Afghanistan, especially among children, indicate that the country is in a state of emergency.
