UN Warns One Million Afghan Children Face Life-Threatening Malnutrition Amid Deepening Crisis

One million children in Afghanistan are suffering from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition, the United Nations warned on Tuesday, as the country faces a worsening humanitarian crisis. The UN children's agency UNICEF said the scale of acute malnutrition among children requires urgent intervention to prevent avoidable deaths. Across Afghanistan, around 3.7 million children are suffering from wasting, meaning they are acutely malnourished, according to UNICEF. Severe acute malnutrition is the most dangerous form of the condition and can become fatal without timely treatment, particularly among young children.

Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF's Afghanistan country representative, said one million children among those affected are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He warned that the number of children at risk could translate into a major loss of life if treatment is not provided quickly. “If there is no treatment, and we are not able to act fast, that one million number are at risk of dying,” Oyewale told a media briefing in Geneva from Kabul. His warning highlighted the urgency of expanding access to nutritional treatment and other essential services for vulnerable children.

The crisis comes as Afghanistan continues to face severe humanitarian and economic challenges. The country has experienced repeated periods of hunger and food insecurity over recent decades, with prolonged conflict, displacement and economic difficulties placing considerable pressure on families' ability to access adequate food. Children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of acute malnutrition. Severe undernutrition can weaken the immune system and leave children more susceptible to infections and other complications. Without timely medical and nutritional care, severe acute malnutrition can rapidly become life-threatening.

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UNICEF's figures indicate that the problem extends well beyond the one million children facing the most severe form of malnutrition. With 3.7 million children experiencing wasting across the country, millions more require nutritional support and protection from further deterioration. Afghanistan's humanitarian situation has been compounded by years of instability and recurring crises. Families already struggling to secure food and basic necessities can find it particularly difficult to meet children's nutritional needs, increasing the risk that moderate malnutrition could progress to more severe conditions. The UN's warning comes with particular concern over the speed at which severely malnourished children can deteriorate.

Oyewale's appeal for rapid action reflects the need for treatment to reach affected children before their condition becomes irreversible. UN agencies and humanitarian organisations have repeatedly highlighted the importance of maintaining access to food, healthcare and nutrition services in Afghanistan. Interruptions to those services can have particularly serious consequences for children already weakened by prolonged nutritional deficiencies. The latest figures underline the scale of the challenge facing Afghanistan. With one million children at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition without treatment and millions more suffering from wasting, UNICEF is warning that immediate action is needed to prevent the country's worsening hunger crisis from becoming an even greater child health emergency.

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