Afghanistan: More Than Four Million Children Face Acute Malnutrition in 2027

Afghanistan: More Than Four Million Children Face Acute Malnutrition in 2027
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More than four million children in Afghanistan are expected to require treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, raising serious concerns about their physical growth and mental development.

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment, published on October 13, 2026, estimates that 4.04 million children aged six to 59 months will suffer from acute malnutrition, including 1.09 million cases of severe malnutrition and 2.95 million moderate cases. Around 1.27 million pregnant and breastfeeding women will also require treatment.

According to UNICEF and Action Against Hunger, the number of Afghan provinces facing critical levels of malnutrition is projected to increase from seven in 2025 to 14 in 2027. UNICEF previously reported that 3.7 million children were suffering from acute malnutrition in August 2026.

Health specialists attribute the crisis to widespread poverty, inadequate access to nutritious food and infectious diseases, warning that prolonged malnutrition can cause lasting damage to children’s physical and cognitive development.