Desperate Need for Food Aid: Nearly 5 Million Mothers and Children in Afghanistan at Risk of Malnutrition

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised alarms about the worsening malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan, revealing that approximately 4.9 million mothers and children are in urgent need of food aid. Concurrently, Doctors Without Borders has reported a significant rise in the number of children suffering from severe malnutrition in healthcare centers across southern Afghanistan.

Nearly Five Million Mothers and Children Require Food Assistance

OCHA’s latest statement indicates that close to 4.9 million mothers and children in Afghanistan require immediate food support. The agency highlighted the escalating malnutrition crisis and noted that millions of Afghan mothers are striving to maintain the health and future of their children despite harsh economic conditions and the rampant risk of malnutrition, and they urgently need support from the global community.

Investment in Malnutrition Prevention is Essential

OCHA emphasized that investing in malnutrition prevention and treatment programs not only saves lives but also reduces healthcare expenditures, strengthens the economy, and prevents the cycle of malnutrition from transferring to future generations.

Millions of Children at Risk of Malnutrition

According to United Nations estimates, approximately 3.7 million children under five in Afghanistan are at risk of malnutrition this year, a statistic that has heightened international concerns about the future health of Afghan children.

Doctors Without Borders: Severe Malnutrition Cases on the Rise

In parallel, Doctors Without Borders reported that the number of children admitted for severe malnutrition in its healthcare centers in southern Afghanistan has increased by over 30 percent in the first four months of this year compared to the average during the same period over the past three years. The organization attributed the intensified malnutrition crisis to decreased international aid and warned that continued trends could exacerbate the humanitarian situation.

Warning of a Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

The malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan continues amid declining humanitarian aid, rising poverty, and increasing human needs, placing immense pressure on vulnerable families.
Relief organizations warn that delays in securing financial resources and implementing nutritional programs will further limit access for millions of mothers and children in need of health and nutrition services, thereby increasing the risk of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.