One million children in Afghanistan face deadly malnutrition

AFGHANISTAN, 26 AUGUST 2026 —

Some 3.7 million children in Afghanistan are suffering from wasting, a deadly form of malnutrition, with about one million battling the most severe form of the condition, according to UNICEF.

Hospitals are overwhelmed. In parts of southern Afghanistan, facilities are seeing three to four severely malnourished children for every available bed.

Severe acute malnutrition cases with medical complications rose by one-third year-on-year, from 6,000 in July 2025 to 8,000 in July 2026. The surge is driven by drought, destructive floods and this year’s record-strength El Niño climate pattern.

Regional instability has disrupted trade, while over six million returnees since 2023 have strained jobs, housing and health services, UNICEF said. Families have cut meals to smaller, scarcer portions, often replacing balanced meals with bread, tea or diluted yoghurt.

Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan, described treating Sagida, a nine-month-old girl from a flood-hit province. “When Sagida was first admitted, doctors had little hope she would survive,” he said. “She weighed only 4 kg. After therapeutic milk, she stabilised.”

Funding cuts have shuttered more than 100 treatment sites this year compared with 2025, pushing remaining centres beyond capacity. UNICEF’s nutrition programme has received just 22% of its required $180 million in 2026.

“We should not wait until a child is dangerously thin before we intervene,” Mr Oyewale said. “Early action saves lives and costs far less than treating severe malnutrition in hospital.”

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