Key facts
- Nearly 1.9 million children in Somalia are expected to be malnourished in 2023.
- There has been a 32% increase in children admitted to facilities for severe acute malnutrition.
- 205 health and nutrition facilities have closed due to humanitarian aid cuts.
- Funding for acute malnutrition treatment in Somalia has decreased by more than 80% this year.
- The U.S. has halted funds, and other Western countries have also reduced aid.
Nearly 1.9 million children in Somalia are projected to face malnutrition this year, with a significant increase in severe acute malnutrition cases, according to UNICEF. The situation is worsening due to unprecedented cuts in humanitarian aid, which have already led to the closure of 205 health and nutrition facilities. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder warned that fewer facilities mean longer journeys for mothers and babies, leading to delayed treatment and a higher risk of preventable death.
Elder emphasized that this is the wrong time to withdraw support, as Somalia grapples with a worsening climate crisis, including severe drought, conflict, displacement, and rising costs for fuel and fertilizer exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Funding for acute malnutrition treatment in parts of Somalia has dropped by over 80% this year, with the U.S. halting funds and other Western countries also cutting aid.
The dire reality is that almost half a million children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form, this year.