The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that food insecurity in Afghanistan is rapidly escalating into a crisis, with 2.9 million children under the age of five now facing malnutrition. Of these, 850,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on Thursday, September 12, that one-third of Afghans live in food-insecure areas, and the situation has worsened due to floods and droughts.
He added that WHO health workers have treated 21,000 severely malnourished children at 140 health centers across Afghanistan, but emphasized that these services are insufficient, and more aid is urgently needed.
Ghebreyesus called on the global community to immediately assist WHO and its partners in providing critical health and food support.
Previously, WHO had announced on September 8 that it had delivered 20 tons of medicine and medical equipment to health centers in five northern provinces of Afghanistan, including kits for pneumonia, measles, cholera, and surgical supplies.