RASC News Agency: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that in September 2023 alone, more than one million children in Afghanistan were screened for malnutrition. In a statement released today Monday, November 18, on X, UNICEF highlighted that screening is a vital first step in identifying children at risk of malnutrition. The process enables early diagnosis, paving the way for timely interventions that can save lives.
Earlier this year, UNICEF reported providing healthcare and nutrition services to 18 million individuals in Afghanistan during the first half of 2023. The organization also disclosed that over 343,000 Afghanistani children have been admitted for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition this year. Reaffirming its commitment to Afghanistani children, UNICEF stressed the urgent necessity of sustained support to prevent further child mortality in the country.
According to the World Food Programme, approximately four million Afghanistani children, infants, and breastfeeding mothers are grappling with malnutrition. UNICEF previously announced that 343,000 children have received treatment for severe acute malnutrition this year. Recent reports have shed light on a tragic reality: in the last six months, 700 children in Nangarhar province alone have died from malnutrition and seasonal illnesses.
The rising poverty levels among families and the shrinking access to essential healthcare services are identified as major contributors to the escalating malnutrition crisis. Over the past three years, countless children across various provinces have succumbed to seasonal diseases, underscoring the deteriorating state of public health infrastructure in Afghanistan.
