Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders (MSF) has witnessed an alarming increase in the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition with medical complications requiring lifesaving treatment in its therapeutic feeding centres in southern Afghanistan.

“Children are reaching us far too late in the process, and they often present in a critical condition with preventable medical complications,” says Ana Lilia Banda, MSF medical coordinator in southern Afghanistan. “This reflects not only worsening food insecurity, but also the breakdown of systems designed to detect and treat malnutrition at an early stage. An effective response requires different elements of care that are all working – from outpatient services that identify and treat uncomplicated cases, to inpatient care for critically-ill children. Restoring this full range of malnutrition services is essential to prevent avoidable deaths.”

Between January and April 2026, the admission of severely malnourished children to the MSF-supported inpatient therapeutic feeding centre (ITFC) in southern Afghanistan increased by over 30 per cent on average compared to the same period over the last three years — with most children being younger than one year old. This increase signals a deterioration in the food security situation people in Afghanistan are facing. The critical situation is placing significant strain on MSF’s capacity to respond effectively to people’s needs. MSF is urgently calling for the prioritisation of funding and resources for nutrition support to avert further deterioration of the nutritional situation in southern Afghanistan.

Significant reductions in international funding since early 2025 have led to the suspension or closure of 445 health facilities, including 203 mobile health and nutrition teams in 2025, according to data shared by the World Health Organization (WHO). These services previously played a key role in community-based screening, early detection, and provision of care. ​