Child malnutrition in Afghanistan has reached critical levels and aid shortages are forcing health workers to turn away millions of children and mothers — six in seven of those in need — the U.N. World Food Programme said on Tuesday.
Child wasting, the deadliest form of malnutrition, has reached critical levels in a third of Afghanistan's provinces, while the number of children being admitted to health centres is rising sharply, WFP's country director in Afghanistan, John Aylieff, told reporters in Geneva.
Child wasting occurs when a child is too thin for their height because they have lost weight rapidly or failed to gain weight due to insufficient food and, or illness.
"This is a crisis which is getting worse by the day and tragically one which we are unable to contain," Aylieff said.
About 80% of the most severe cases involve children under the age of two, Aylieff said, with many arriving at clinics too late to be saved.
The surge comes as Afghanistan grapples with conflict-related trade disruptions, mass returns of Afghans from neighbouring countries and deep cuts in international aid.
Nearly 6 million Afghans have been forcibly returned from neighbouring countries over the past three years since expulsion policies began in late 2023, placing additional pressure on jobs and public services, Aylieff said.
At the same time, staple food prices have risen by 20% to 30%, while nearly 14 million Afghans are facing acute hunger, according to WFP. While a better harvest this year has offered some hope, its benefits were being offset by economic pressures, mass returns and aid cuts.
The agency said funding shortfalls had sharply reduced its operations. The U.S., traditionally the largest donor, as well as a slew of European countries, have cut funding since January 2025. WFP said it was now able to reach only one in seven acutely malnourished women and children, down from one in four children needing treatment in March this year
"We're turning them away empty-handed with absolutely nothing," said Aylieff.
WFP has also been forced to halt food distributions aimed at preventing famine in the worst-hit areas because of a lack of funding, he added.
WFP said it needs $500 million over the next six months to stop the crisis from escalating further.
