New research from Save the Children highlights a rapidly escalating child malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan, with one in ten infants and very young children suffering from acute malnourishment. This alarming trend is fueled by a confluence of factors, including the closure of essential healthcare facilities due to insufficient funding and the aid agency’s assertion that nearly 600 healthcare facilities have closed, leaving approximately 4 million people, including a significant portion of children, reliant on these services. The number of children at risk of malnutrition has risen significantly, increasing from 3.7 million in 2026 to 3.7 million in 2026, a stark contrast to the previous year’s decline. Save the Children notes that the United Kingdom-based organization has observed a concerning trend: the slowing of humanitarian aid in the country, triggered by the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, and subsequent withdrawal of the United States and allies. This has resulted in a 74% funding gap, a critical shortfall that threatens to undermine ongoing efforts to protect children’s lives, rights, and futures. The agency’s efforts to maintain 14 health clinics open, providing crucial healthcare to 10,000 people in mountainous areas of northern Afghanistan, are increasingly strained, particularly as the population has surged by 12% since September 2023, largely due to increased refugee flows from Pakistan and Iran. These returns have further exacerbated the existing challenges, placing an enormous strain on already limited resources. Prior to 2021, the US was Afghanistan’s largest donor, significantly funding major development and reconstruction projects and disbursing substantial humanitarian aid. Since the Taliban takeover, the US aid landscape has shifted, with most funding now channeled through UN agencies and NGOs, representing a drastic reduction in the amount of aid delivered. The Trump administration implemented a radical reduction in foreign aid, limiting direct US involvement and freezing Afghan state assets held in the US, further isolating Afghanistan and hindering crucial humanitarian assistance. Experts estimate that the Taliban’s ban on female humanitarian staff has severely restricted access to aid, compounding the challenges faced by vulnerable populations. The lack of funding has also forced many organizations to close down or suspend their programs, creating a significant humanitarian crisis. Prior to 2021, the US was Afghanistan’s largest donor, financing major development and reconstruction projects and disbursing humanitarian aid. Since the Taliban takeover, however, most US aid to Afghanistan now goes through indirect channels, such as the UN or NGOs, and is now a fraction of what it used to be before 2021. The recent reduction in aid has placed an enormous strain on the country’s already fragile infrastructure and the lives of countless children.”
Source: Al Jazeera
