Acute child malnutrition has hit critical levels in one-third of Afghanistan’s provinces and is likely to deteriorate further as funding gaps lead to reduced food distributions and support services, the UN World Food Program stated on Tuesday. Officials stressed the need for immediate action to prevent more child deaths linked to the crisis. Afghanistan is still recovering from years of conflict and instability, including the 2021 withdrawal of US forces and the Taliban’s takeover. Nutrition experts have noted worsening wasting among children across more than three-quarters of the country this year, with many arriving at clinics in severe condition and others failing to reach care. Reductions in aid led to the closure of 142 health centers in 2025, cutting access to nutrition treatment for over 13,000 children. Nearly 3.7 million children and 1.2 million pregnant or breastfeeding women are expected to face acute malnutrition this year. Twelve provinces now report critical levels of child malnutrition, driven by ongoing conflict, joblessness, higher food costs, disease outbreaks, inadequate water and sanitation, and lower humanitarian funding. Supply disruptions from regional conflicts and border closures have left nearly one million malnourished women and children without services for five months. From August to October, distributions to prevent famine in hard-hit areas are being halted due to insufficient funds, despite the peak malnutrition season. The agency requires $540 million in the next six months. Humanitarian funding for food assistance has fallen about 59 percent since 2022 while needs have increased. The broader $1.71 billion appeal for Afghanistan is only 26 percent funded.
