UNICEF targets 1.3 million malnourished children in Afghanistan amid worsening crisis

UNICEF said it plans to treat 1.3 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Afghanistan in 2026, as the country faces a deepening humanitarian crisis affecting millions.

The agency said the treatment program will be implemented nationwide with support from the Asian Development Bank, aiming to expand life-saving nutrition services in some of the most vulnerable communities.

UN officials have warned that more than three million children in Afghanistan are currently at risk of acute malnutrition, with numbers rising compared to the previous year due to worsening economic and food insecurity conditions.

The organization said the scale of need reflects a broader humanitarian emergency, driven by poverty, limited healthcare access, and the lasting impacts of conflict and economic decline across the country.

UNICEF noted that it treated around 610,000 children for severe malnutrition last year, but emphasized that current needs far exceed available resources, requiring urgent international funding and sustained support.

Aid agencies warn that without expanded interventions, the humanitarian situation could deteriorate further, leaving millions of children at risk of illness, long-term developmental harm, or death.

Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with widespread poverty, food shortages, and limited access to basic services affecting a large portion of the population.

Humanitarian groups say children are disproportionately affected, as weakened healthcare systems and economic hardship reduce access to essential nutrition, treatment, and preventive services.

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