UNICEF in Afghanistan: 1M Children May Die Unless Action Taken

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan warned that one million Afghan children could die from severe acute malnutrition if “urgent” actions were not taken.

Despite the rising numbers of children affected by malnutrition, the Ministry of Public Health said no malnutrition care centers are active in Afghanistan.

“Having recently recovered from acute watery diarrhea, two year old Soria is back in the  hospital, this time suffering from edema and wasting,” UNICEF Afghanistan said in a tweet, referring to a two-year-old Afghan child whose was photo was attached. “Her mother has been by her bedside for the past 2 weeks anxiously waiting for Soria to recover.”

Saeeda is a mother of three children and brought one of her children to Kabul from Logar province.

According to Saeeda, her malnourished child lost his vision.

“I was financially incapable of treating my son. I brought him here for treatment,” she said.

As Afghanistan is going through a severe economic meltdown, thousands of children face starvation.

“The number of children affected by malnutrition was low in previous years. Now 20 to 25 children are being brought in (per day) due to malnutrition,” said Sayed Muslim, a doctor.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, the number of children suffering from malnutrition is around 4.4. million in Afghanistan.

“To overcome malnutrition disease in Afghanistan, there have been some measures enforced to enhance the health sector and also to recruit the international aid to support the Afghan health sector,” said Javid Hajir, a spokesman for the ministry.