Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, is grappling with multiple crises, one of the most severe being malnutrition. Over the past three years, international organizations have reported that, despite the Taliban’s claims of job creation, hunger reduction, and improved healthcare services, the health crisis has not only persisted but worsened. In some regions, the situation has reached unprecedented and alarming levels. Recently, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned of an escalating malnutrition crisis. They indicated that with the onset of winter, this crisis will intensify, putting children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers at risk of early death and lifelong complications, including cognitive impairment and stunted growth. The World Health Organization (WHO) also previously reported that around 700,000 children in Afghanistan suffering from malnutrition lack access to essential treatment.
In a report focused on the malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan, particularly in Kandahar and Paktika provinces, the IFRC expressed deep concern. Between May and September 2024, the country saw unprecedented levels of malnutrition, leading to a sharp rise in acute malnutrition among children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI), the worsening of hunger and malnutrition in Afghanistan is tied to growing humanitarian needs and a decrease in funding. The report warned that, with winter approaching, the situation will deteriorate, leading to more casualties unless urgent action is taken to reduce acute hunger before it peaks in December 2024 and February 2025.
Currently, 3.2 million children under five and 840,000 pregnant and lactating women are suffering from acute malnutrition in Afghanistan. Among them, 1.7 million children are affected by severe acute malnutrition and related health complications. This puts them at risk of early death and lifelong consequences, such as cognitive impairment and stunted growth.
The provinces of Kandahar and Paktika are among the hardest hit by the malnutrition crisis. Kandahar, with an estimated population of 2,067,723, has been classified under the Global Acute Malnutrition Phase Classification. The province has 103,386 children under five suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and 41,354 pregnant and lactating women affected by moderate acute malnutrition. In Paktika province, with an estimated population of 852,934, the 2024 IPC report has classified the area as being in crisis due to global acute malnutrition. Over 47,647 children and 17,058 pregnant and nursing mothers are predicted to be severely affected.
Necephor Mghendi, head of the IFRC delegation, visited mobile health teams and clinics in Kandahar two weeks ago. He noted, “I spent an hour with Red Crescent staff and a mobile health team in Panjwayi district, Kandahar. Two out of every five children were suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Parents told me they lacked the income to buy food and had sold their belongings to survive. Humanitarian aid is their last hope.”
The IFRC emphasized the need for immediate intervention to save the lives of children and women. With winter approaching, more areas in Kandahar and Paktika will face acute respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases, increasing the risk of early death among children. According to the “Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)” protocols, children suffering from acute malnutrition without underlying medical conditions require at least two months of intensive treatment with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) to recover fully and be discharged from treatment. If treatment does not begin immediately, the crisis will spiral out of control, and even collective efforts after the winter will have a limited impact.
The report underscores that malnutrition in Afghanistan has long been a public health crisis due to a combination of complex factors. Prolonged drought, natural disasters, population displacement, rising living costs, food insecurity, and widespread unemployment have all exacerbated the situation.
The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index recently reported that 58.9% of Afghanistan’s poor are children. The 37-page report reveals that around five million more children than adults are living in poverty. In total, 15.5 million children and 10.8 million adults are affected by multidimensional poverty in Afghanistan.
Years of prolonged conflict and instability have made Afghanistan one of the poorest countries in the world. Between 2015/2016 and 2022/2023, poverty in Afghanistan increased by over 5.2%, with 5.3 million more people falling into multidimensional poverty. The report states that nearly two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population (64.9%) were poor in 2022/2023, with three out of every five poor individuals being children.
Meanwhile, the WHO has reported that at least 700,000 children suffering from malnutrition currently lack access to life-saving treatment. Last month alone, 27,600 children required hospitalization for malnutrition-related conditions. The WHO also reported that 12.4 million people in Afghanistan are food insecure, with 2.9 million experiencing high levels of hunger. The WHO’s response program for those in need in 2024 faces severe budget cuts, with only $755 million—about 25% of the total required budget—secured so far. This comes as 23.7 million people in Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance.
The WHO added that Afghanistan faces significant health challenges due to a weak health system and unequal access to services, particularly in rural areas. The spread of infectious diseases, mental health issues, malnutrition, and non-communicable diseases have all contributed to the rising mortality rate. The report also noted the negative effects of diseases like diarrhea, measles, polio, dengue fever, COVID-19, whooping cough, and malaria. With winter approaching, cold-related health issues, particularly respiratory infections, will increase, especially in remote areas.
Moreover, the WHO highlighted that the Taliban’s restrictions have limited women’s and girls’ access to healthcare services in some parts of the country. Recently, the World Food Programme (WFP) raised concerns about stricter monitoring and evaluation of domestic and foreign NGOs in Afghanistan following the enactment of the Taliban’s Law for the “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.”
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
بحران سوءتغذیه در افغانستان؛ کودکان و زنان باردار و شیرده در خطر مرگ زودرس قرار دارند | روزنامه ۸صبح
