Poor nutrition has become rife in Afghanistan with the country plagued by economic, humanitarian and climate crises. Ten percent of children under five are malnourished and 45 percent are stunted, meaning they are small for their age in part due to poor nutrition, according to the United Nations.

Kabul

Malnutrition is a growing concern in Afghanistan, impacting the well-being and future of its young population. The nation is currently facing a combination of economic challenges, humanitarian issues, and climate-related crises, contributing to widespread poor nutrition among its citizens. A significant portion of the Afghan child population is affected, with alarming statistics that highlight the extent of the issue.

The United Nations has reported that 10 percent of Afghan children under the age of five suffer from malnourishment, which has immediate and long-term health implications. Furthermore, approximately 45 percent of children in the same age group are categorized as stunted. This condition, characterized by reduced growth and development, is attributed in large part to insufficient nutrition. These figures underscore the severity of the nutritional crisis and its potential to impact future generations in Afghanistan.



Malnutrition threatens future Afghan generations

This community health post is a lifeline for over 1,000 residents from the local village. Women come to have their babies screened for malnutrition. Hasina and her husband run the post as volunteers. I don't have any community health worker training yet, but I used to go for training with my mother-in-law. I learnt many things from her, and now I'm gathering women together here every month. Now I have enough training to teach others. According to the UN, 10% of children under five in Afghanistan are malnourished, and 45% are stunted. If not detected and treated within the first two years of a child's life, the condition becomes irreversible, and the affected child will never be able to develop mentally and physically to its full potential. This is not only tragic for the individual child, but must have a severe negative impact on the development of the whole country when more than two out of five children are affected. The World Food Programme says it estimates three million children will be malnourished in the country this year. We will be able to reach just 1.6 million of those. WFP already had to cut down our critical food rations to the families. That is going to translate into more malnutrition. Women are also particularly impacted. The NGO reported 1.2 million cases of malnutrition in those who were pregnant or breastfeeding last year. Community workers say it's difficult to raise awareness on health and sanitation among mothers, as many are illiterate, pushed out of education and public life under Taliban rule.

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