UN: Acute child malnutrition reaches alarming levels in Afghanistan

Acute child malnutrition has reached critical levels in Afghanistan, where one third of provinces are facing child emaciation, the deadliest form of malnutrition, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

John Aylieff, the WFP representative for Afghanistan, stated that the number of children in emergency care is alarmingly increasing, with the majority being under two years old. This situation has been exacerbated by natural disasters and the return of Afghan refugees. Approximately 14 million Afghans are suffering from acute hunger, and the WFP has managed to feed only one in nine Afghans due to a lack of funding.

The organization warned that child malnutrition could exceed previous estimates, condemning countless children and mothers to avoidable death. The WFP urgently requests 540 million dollars to support its operations in Afghanistan over the next six months.