UNICEF Warns of Child Malnutrition Crisis in Ethiopia, Nigeria Amid Funding Crisis

UNICEF has issued a warning that access to ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for malnourished children in Ethiopia and Nigeria could cease by May unless urgent funding is secured, Anadolu Agency reported. Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden reported that nearly 74,500 children in Ethiopia and around 80,000 in Nigeria require treatment each month. She emphasized that significant cuts in U.S. funding are reversing progress made in combating malnutrition, with nearly 1.3 million children under five at risk of losing access to essential treatment.

In Ethiopia’s Afar region, only seven of 30 mobile health units remain operational due to funding shortages, impacting vital services like vaccinations and malnutrition care. The crisis is not limited to these countries, as UNICEF predicts that 213 million children in 146 nations will need humanitarian aid in 2025. Van der Heijden urged governments to act quickly, highlighting that investment in children’s health is both a moral imperative and an economically sound decision.