Severe Acute Malnutrition Among Rohingya Children Surges by 27% in Bangladesh Refugee Camps Amid Worsening Conditions

UNICEF provided life-saving treatment to nearly 12,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition last year, with a 92% recovery rate.

The number of Rohingya children requiring emergency treatment for severe acute malnutrition in refugee camps in Bangladesh has surged by 27% in February 2025 compared to the same period last year, highlighting the escalating humanitarian crisis. UNICEF warns that worsening conditions are pushing more young children into life-threatening hunger, exacerbating an already dire situation in the overcrowded camps.

In Cox’s Bazar, home to over one million Rohingya refugees—including more than 500,000 children—malnutrition rates have reached emergency levels. Over 15% of children in the camps are now malnourished, marking the highest levels recorded since the mass displacement of Rohingya refugees in 2017.

UNICEF provided life-saving treatment to nearly 12,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition last year, with a 92% recovery rate. However, the ongoing crisis threatens to overwhelm these services. In January 2025, severe acute malnutrition cases rose by 25% year-over-year (from 819 to 1,021 cases), followed by an even sharper increase of 27% in February (from 836 to 1,062 cases). This alarming trend is driven by multiple factors, including prolonged monsoon rains in 2024 that worsened sanitation conditions, leading to severe diarrhea and outbreaks of cholera and dengue. Additionally, food ration cuts over the past two years have further deteriorated the quality of diets, and increasing numbers of families fleeing violence have sought refuge in the camps in recent months.

“For now, we can provide the services that Rohingya mothers come seeking, and that very sick children need, but as needs keep rising and funding declines, families are terrified of what will happen if there are further food ration cuts or if lifesaving nutrition services stop,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh.

At the start of 2025, UNICEF estimated that 14,200 children in the Rohingya refugee camps would suffer from severe acute malnutrition throughout the year. This number could rise significantly due to declining food rations, poor child nutrition, and disruptions to safe water and health services. Without timely treatment, children suffering from this condition are 11 times more likely to die than their well-nourished peers.

“These families cannot yet safely return home, and they have no legal right to work, so sustained humanitarian support is not optional—it is essential,” Flowers emphasized. “UNICEF is determined to stay and deliver for children, but without guaranteed funding, critical services will be at risk.”

As malnutrition levels continue to rise, urgent international intervention is required to prevent further suffering and potential fatalities among Rohingya children.