UNICEF Warns of Severe Malnutrition Crisis Affecting Millions of Children in Afghanistan

UNICEF Warns of Severe Malnutrition Crisis Affecting Millions of Children in Afghanistan
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More than 3.5 million children in Afghanistan are suffering from acute malnutrition, including around one million classified as severely wasted, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which has described the situation as one of the worst nutrition crises in the world, Amu TV reported.

In a statement posted on X, UNICEF said Afghanistan’s nutrition emergency ranks among the most severe globally, warning that millions of children face life-threatening hunger. The agency noted that it has established nutrition centers across the country in partnership with local and international organizations, where an average of 40 children receive medical and nutritional care each day.

The warning comes amid growing concern over dwindling humanitarian funding. Earlier this year, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it had been forced to cut back its malnutrition treatment programs in Afghanistan by 60 percent due to resource shortages. The reduction has left approximately 1.7 million women and children without access to essential nutrition and health services.

According to WFP, these cutbacks come at a time when Afghanistan’s food insecurity is deepening under the strain of a collapsing economy, limited employment opportunities, and high food prices. Malnutrition levels have reached record highs, disproportionately affecting women and children who depend on humanitarian assistance for survival.

The agency further warned that the reduction in food and healthcare programs is having a devastating impact on public health, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach regions. Communities already struggling with poverty now face even greater risks of illness and death due to lack of access to adequate nutrition and medical treatment.

Humanitarian organizations say Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest and most urgent humanitarian emergencies, with over two-thirds of its population requiring some form of assistance. Both UNICEF and WFP have urged the international community to step up funding to sustain critical health and nutrition programs, stressing that failure to do so could lead to further deterioration of an already dire humanitarian situation.