Malnutrition crisis deepens as 857,000 Afghan children need treatment: UNICEF

KABUL: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office in Afghanistan has announced that 857,000 children under the age of five are expected to require treatment for severe malnutrition. In a message on X, the organization reported that in November, they screened 1.2 million children for wasting, leading to 33,510 children being hospitalized for treatment, 58% of whom were girls. UNICEF added, “Despite this, the need for treatment remains high, and it is anticipated that 857,000 children will require treatment due to acute malnutrition.” Previously, UNICEF had stated that the number of children suffering from severe malnutrition in Afghanistan had risen to 3.7 million. The organization aims to provide medical services to 1.3 million children with severe wasting and moderate acute malnutrition, but is facing budget shortages. Recently, several malnutrition treatment centers have been closed. A report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), published by the United Nations, has forecasted that 17.4 million people will face severe food shortages this coming winter.