UN warns of rising child mortality in Afghanistan due to food shortages
Kyiv • UNN
Critical child malnutrition has been recorded in 12 provinces of Afghanistan. Due to funding cuts, 142 medical centers have closed, and more than 13,000 children have lost treatment.
In Afghanistan, the situation with child malnutrition is rapidly deteriorating, and cuts in humanitarian funding are forcing reductions in food aid volumes, threatening an increase in child mortality. This is reported by AP, citing the UN World Food Programme (WFP), writes UNN.
Details
According to WFP, critical levels of acute malnutrition among children have already been recorded in 12 provinces of Afghanistan, and the situation continues to worsen.
We must act now to stop the rise in child mortality that this crisis is provoking. For many, it is already too late
Olha Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office in Afghanistan, reported that this year wasting among children has intensified in more than three-quarters of the country. According to her, many children are admitted to hospitals already with severe acute malnutrition, and some of them do not manage to receive the necessary help.
Millions of children need help
According to WFP, in 2025, due to cuts in humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, 142 medical centers ceased operations, and more than 13,000 children lost access to treatment for malnutrition.
The organization predicts that by the end of the year, nearly 3.7 million Afghan children will suffer from acute malnutrition, as well as 1.2 million pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
WFP explains the deterioration of the situation by the consequences of a long-term conflict, unemployment, rising food prices, the spread of diseases, lack of clean water and sanitation, as well as cuts in international funding.
In addition, the organization noted that the war in the Middle East and the nine-month closure of Pakistan's border due to hostilities disrupted the supply of humanitarian cargo. As a result, nearly one million women and children suffering from malnutrition remained without life-saving food aid for five months.
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