Child malnutrition in Afghanistan amid a deepening humanitarian crisis

Int Health. 2023 Jul 4;15(4):353-356. doi: 10.1093/inthealth/ihac055.

Abstract

Decades of political turmoil and stifling war, among other issues, has turned Afghanistan into the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Just 4 months after the Taliban seized control, the majority of the Afghan population face starvation, with >3.3 million children unable to afford basic food resources, leading to dozens of deaths every week. Restrictions on humanitarian assistance, withholding of vital food supplies and inadequate medical care play a major role in exacerbating the rates of malnutrition in the vulnerable paediatric population. Global interference is warranted to avoid unfathomable consequences in mitigating this public health catastrophe.

Keywords: Afghanistan; child malnutrition; humanitarian crisis.

MeSH terms

  • Afghanistan / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child Nutrition Disorders* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Malnutrition* / epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Relief Work*