Empty Clinic Shelves: The Struggle Against Malnutrition in Kenya

Due to supply shortages and funding cuts, malnutrition in Kenya, particularly in Turkana county, is reaching critical levels. Severe acute malnutrition among children is rising as therapeutic food supplies remain disrupted, subsequently worsening the health crisis. Aid cuts under Trump's policy have exacerbated the situation.

In the harsh terrain of Turkana county, Kenya, severely malnourished children like Peter Lokoyen face an uphill battle. His mother, Hellen Etiman, hoped for a recovery aided by life-saving therapeutic food. However, a shortage in supplies has forced the family to forage for food, leaving young Peter facing severe health risks.

The dire situation roots back to international aid cuts, notably under President Donald Trump's policies, which disrupted the flow of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF). UNICEF, struggling to meet the rising demand amid droughts in Kenya, also experienced funding challenges, leaving clinics like those in Turkana with empty shelves of crucial health supplies.

Despite recent U.S. efforts to restore aid, the gap has had lasting impacts. Children, deprived of necessary nutrients, face irreversible health issues, with some aid programs being severely curtailed. Health officials and aid workers remain deeply concerned as they witness these unprecedented shortages, questioning the future of aid-supported recovery efforts in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)