Child malnutrition in Afghanistan has reached critical levels, with aid shortages forcing health workers to turn away six out of seven children and mothers who need help, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Tuesday, August 4.
Wasting, the most deadly form of malnutrition, has reached critical levels in a third of Afghanistan's provinces. The number of children being admitted to health facilities is rising rapidly, said John Aylieff, the WFP's country director for Afghanistan, speaking to reporters in Geneva. Wasting occurs when a child is too thin for their height because of rapid weight loss or an inability to gain weight due to insufficient food or illness.
"It's a crisis that's worsening day by day and, tragically, it's a crisis we cannot control," Aylieff said.
About 80% of the most severe cases involve children under two years old, with many arriving at clinics too late to be saved.
Mass returns and trade disruption
The rise comes at a time when Afghanistan is facing difficulties with trade because of conflict, mass returns of Afghans from neighbouring countries, and significant cuts to international aid.
Nearly six million Afghans have been forced to return from neighbouring countries over the past three years, since deportation policies began in late 2023, Aylieff said. He said this has intensified pressure on the labour market and on public services.
Food prices and acute hunger
Prices of basic foods have risen by 20 to 30%, while nearly 14 million Afghans are facing acute hunger, according to the WFP.
A better harvest this year has offered some hope, but its benefits have been offset by economic pressure, mass returns and aid cuts, the agency said. It added that funding shortfalls have significantly limited its activities.
Funding cuts from the US and Europe
The United States, traditionally the largest donor, along with a number of European countries, has reduced funding since January 2025. The WFP said it is now able to reach only one in seven children and women suffering from acute malnutrition, down from one in four children who needed help in March this year.
"We are sending them away with empty hands, with absolutely nothing," Aylieff said.
The WFP has also been forced to halt food distributions that were aimed at preventing hunger in the worst-affected areas because of a lack of funding.
The agency said it needs 500 million dollars over the next six months to stop the crisis from escalating further.
