Death rate of children affected by malnutrition surged in Afghanistan: Report

Amid the severe shortages of medical supplies, the death rate of children affected by malnutrition in Afghanistan has surged in recent months, Afghan officials said.

Amid the severe shortages of medical supplies, the death rate of children affected by malnutrition in Afghanistan has surged in recent months, Afghan officials said. Officials at the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital said that the number of malnourished children has recently jumped by 50 per cent, Tolo News reported.

"The number of patients has increased recently. Our work is being affected as the number of patients is overwhelming, and the death rate among the children has also increased. If there is no solution found for the problem, we will face a complete shortage of equipment," said Farid Ahmad Andishmand, a doctor. The head of Indira Gandhi Children Hospital, Mohammad Latif Bahir, expressed concern over the suspension of aid to the health sector.

"The number of our patients has increased compared to previous weeks. We are facing an overwhelming number of patients and we can only check on emergency patients and deny other patients," he said. A report by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) recently said that the combined shocks of drought, conflict, COVID-19 and an economic crisis in Afghanistan, have left more than half the population facing a record level of acute hunger.

The IPC report found that more than one-in-two Afghans will face Phase 3 crisis or Phase 4 emergency levels of acute food insecurity from November through the March lean season, requiring an urgent international response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. The report revealed a 37 per cent surge in the number of Afghans facing acute hunger since its last assessment in April.

Among those at risk are 3.2 million children under five, who are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition by the end of the year. Last month, WFP and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that without immediate life-saving treatment, one million children risked dying from severe acute malnutrition. (ANI)

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