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The United Nations on Thursday launched a call for funds to help 30 million children suffering from acute malnutrition in countries affected by the food crisis “before it’s too late.”
“In the 15 worst-affected countries, more than 30 million children suffer from wasting, or acute malnutrition, of which 8 million suffer from severe wasting. is the deadliest form of malnutrition,” jointly stresses five UN agencies. statement.
The 15 countries affected are Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Southern Sudan, and Yemen.
High food prices exacerbate food insecurity and hinder access to affordable and basic food. Conflict, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic are exacerbating the situation, according to the agency.
“The situation is likely to get worse in 2023,” warned UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu.
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UN agencies are calling for increased investment to support efforts to meet the “unprecedented needs arising from this deepening crisis before it is too late.”
The agency wants to prevent, detect and treat acute child malnutrition by acting on all fronts, including food, health, water, sanitation and social protection systems. Qu Dongyu stressed the need to ensure that health foods are “available, accessible and affordable.”
This plan of action concerns children under the age of five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, mothers and caregivers of children under the age of five.
“The current chain of crises is leaving millions of children severely malnourished and making it more difficult to access essential services,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
“Weakness is a source of suffering for children and, in severe cases, can lead to death or permanent damage to a child’s growth and development,” she added.
Read also: Sickness and malnutrition: Children bear the brunt of Nigeria’s food crisis
Russell said the crisis must be tackled with “proven solutions to prevent, detect and treat childhood wasting early.”
Severely malnourished children have weakened immune systems and are at increased risk of dying from common childhood illnesses.
“The global food crisis is both a health crisis and a vicious circle: malnutrition leads to disease, and disease leads to malnutrition,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Food Organization (WHO).
“The most affected countries need urgent help to protect the lives and health of children.
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