Before the G7 summit, UNICEF is asking for $1.2 billion to help save 8 million children at risk of dying from severe malnutrition. Nearly 8 million children under 5 in 15 crisis-affected countries are at risk of dying from severe wasting unless they get urgent food and care, UNICEF warned as world leaders prepare for the G7 summit. The global food crisis has worsened since the beginning of the year, leaving an additional 260,000 children—or one every minute—in severe wasting in the most affected areas, such as the Horn of Africa and Central Sahel. This surge adds to existing high levels of child malnutrition that
UNICEF recently described as a "tinderbox" ready to ignite. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized that while food aid is essential, it alone isn't enough to save children from severe malnutrition.
"We can't save starving children with just bags of wheat," she said. "We need to provide therapeutic treatment now before it’s too late."
Rising food prices, fueled by the war in Ukraine, ongoing droughts caused by climate change, frequent conflicts, and the lasting economic effects of COVID-19, are worsening food and nutrition insecurity for children worldwide. This has led to dangerously high rates of severe malnutrition in children under 5. In response, UNICEF is intensifying its efforts in the 15 hardest-hit countries. Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen will be part of a special plan to prevent a rise in child deaths and reduce the long-term impacts of severe malnutrition.
Severe wasting, where children are dangerously underweight for their height, is the most visible and deadly form of malnutrition. It weakens the immune system, increasing the risk of death for children under 5 by up to 11 times compared to those who are properly nourished. In the 15 affected countries, UNICEF estimates that at least 40 million children are suffering from severe nutrition insecurity, meaning they aren’t getting the essential variety of food they need for healthy growth and development. Additionally, 21 million children are facing extreme food insecurity, lacking enough food to meet their basic needs, putting them at high risk for severe wasting. The cost of ready-to-use therapeutic food, vital for treating severe wasting, has recently risen by 16% due to the increasing price of raw ingredients. As a result, up to 600,000 more children may not have access to life-saving treatment and are at greater risk of death.
The rise in child wasting rates is based on publicly available data from January and June 2022, including estimates from the National Nutrition Cluster (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and the DRC), Integrated Phase Classification Acute Malnutrition Analyses (Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, Madagascar, and Haiti), Humanitarian Appeals for Children (Ethiopia, Afghanistan), and Humanitarian Needs Overviews (Sudan). In total, the number of children expected to suffer from severe wasting in January and June 2022 was estimated at 7,674,098 and 7,934,357, respectively, showing an increase of 260,259 additional children. Due to the global food crisis, UNICEF also projects that the cost of treating child wasting has risen by about 16%, primarily due to higher prices for essential nutrition products and their raw materials.
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