UN warns of growing hunger crisis in Afghanistan: WFP reports rise in child mortality

Background of the crisis

The hunger situation in Afghanistan has, according to UN estimates, deteriorated significantly in recent months. In addition to the closures of health facilities, there is a lack of therapeutic food for malnourished children, medical personnel, and functioning distribution channels for food. The WFP said that without an immediate increase in aid funds, the number of children dying from the effects of malnutrition will continue to rise.

Impact on the population

John Aylieff stressed that time for countermeasures is short. Other UN organizations have also recently repeatedly drawn attention to the plight of the Afghan population. Millions of people depend on food assistance, while the country's economy has largely collapsed under sanctions and isolation.

Impact on the population

International response and demands

The consequences of the hunger crisis are hitting children under five as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women hardest, according to the WFP. Clinics in several provinces, including the region around Kandahar, reported a sharp increase in cases of acute malnutrition. Many families who previously secured their income through agriculture or casual work are increasingly dependent on aid deliveries, according to aid workers.

Outlook

The WFP said the closure of health centers is only the most visible consequence of the funding cuts. In addition, programs to prevent malnutrition and to educate about infant feeding had to be discontinued or sharply reduced. The organization warned that without an expansion of funding, the situation will worsen further in the coming months, particularly against the backdrop of the approaching winter and the already scarce food supplies.

International response and demands

The WFP called on the international community to make immediate additional pledges. Aylieff said every delay costs lives, and affected children cannot wait for political differences to be resolved. The organization urged donor countries to raise their funding for Afghanistan aid back to the level of previous years in order to stabilize existing programs and build new ones.

Despite these warnings, the humanitarian funding situation remains precarious, according to the WFP. Several donor countries have reduced or completely stopped their contributions in recent years, citing, among other things, the political situation in Afghanistan. Human rights organizations accuse the international community of making the civilian population pay for the political conditions in the country.

Outlook

According to the WFP's assessment, the crisis is only beginning if aid funds are not significantly increased. The UN expects the number of children who die from the effects of malnutrition without treatment to continue to rise in the coming quarters. Aylieff concluded with an urgent plea to act quickly, as any further delay will only increase the scale of the catastrophe.