UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund in Afghanistan, has announced that Badakhshan province has the highest number of people suffering from malnutrition in the country.
In a newly released report, the agency stated that an estimated 165,000 children and 93,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in the province are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition this year.
UNICEF emphasized that in 13 provinces across northern and eastern Afghanistan, a comprehensive project is being implemented to prevent malnutrition.
The report noted: “In Afghanistan, over one-fifth of women suffer from acute malnutrition, and around one-third are affected by anemia.”
Previously, UNICEF had also warned that this year, approximately 3.5 million children and one million pregnant women across Afghanistan could be affected by acute malnutrition.
The United Nations has also warned of worsening malnutrition among women and children, noting that Afghanistan is among the 15 countries with the highest rates of child malnutrition. It further reported that 4 out of every 10 women in the country are affected by malnutrition.
The worsening hunger crisis and its resulting malnutrition have raised alarm bells for millions in need across Afghanistan. The UN has warned that nearly one-third of the Afghan population is in need of food assistance, and 3.1 million people are on the brink of famine.
Following the suspension of U.S. funding and a reduction in humanitarian aid from other countries, UN agencies have repeatedly warned about the escalating malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan.
