The humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) reports an alarming increase in the number of children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications requiring lifesaving treatment in its therapeutic feeding centers in southern Afghanistan. The non-governmental organization (NGO) is calling on donors, health authorities, and other relevant organizations to prioritize and restore funding for nutrition programs across Afghanistan.
From January to April of this year, the number of severely malnourished children admitted to the MSF-supported inpatient therapeutic feeding center (ITFC) in southern Afghanistan increased by over 30 percent compared to the same period over the last three years, with most of the children being younger than one year old.
“Children are reaching us far too late in the process, and they often present in critical condition with preventable medical complications,” said Ana Lilia Banda, MSF's medical coordinator in southern Afghanistan, in a statement on Thursday.
“This reflects not only worsening food insecurity, but also the breakdown of systems designed to detect and treat malnutrition at an early stage.”
Funding collapses and systemic breakdown of health and nutrition facilities
These developments signal a deterioration in the food security situation that people in Afghanistan are facing and are placing a significant strain on MSF’s capacity to respond effectively to people’s needs.
“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,” Banda said.
“Restoring this full range of malnutrition services is essential to prevent avoidable deaths.”
Since early last year, significant cuts in international funding have led to the suspension or closure of 445 health facilities, including 203 mobile health and nutrition teams, according to data shared by the World Health Organization (WHO). These health services played a key role in community-based screening, early detection, and providing care.
Compounding drivers: Climate shocks and escalating conflict
The situation is further compounded by recurrent droughts, which have reduced crop yields and progressively intensified food insecurity and economic hardship. At the same time, border closures linked to regional geopolitical tensions have disrupted the supply chain of therapeutic food into the country and increased food prices.
Consequently, Afghanistan remains one of the world's most pressing humanitarian crises, with nearly half of its population — approximately 22 million people — in need of assistance. Over 11.6 million of those in need are children.
“Malnutrition is not only a medical issue but also a social issue,” said Banda, noting that exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life followed by appropriate complementary feeding is essential to meet an infant’s nutritional needs.
“But when mothers themselves do not have enough to eat, how are they expected to feed their babies?” asked Banda.
“We are seeing many malnourished children less than one year of age, often accompanied by their mothers or caregivers who are also in need of care.”
MSF has already scaled up its response in Helmand and Kandahar. However, with the seasonal peak in malnutrition underway, the NGO is concerned that the current humanitarian response will be unable to keep up with rising needs without an uninterrupted supply of specially formulated food and essential medical supplies.
A broadening crisis: WFP projections and worst-case scenarios
While MSF’s observations on the ground capture the acute crisis unfolding in Helmand and Kandahar, these localized spikes reflect a deepening nationwide emergency, as highlighted by other humanitarian organizations.
In an analysis published Friday, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that Afghanistan is experiencing its highest surge in acute malnutrition ever recorded. According to the WFP, an estimated 3.7 million children are expected to suffer from wasting in 2026.
The analysis finds that, under a worst-case scenario involving an ongoing Pakistan border closure and escalation in the Middle East, an additional 2.3 million people could require urgent food assistance over six months, bringing the total above the current baseline of 13.8 million.
The food and nutrition crisis is being exacerbated by multiple overlapping shocks, including the large-scale forced return of Afghans from Pakistan and Iran, placing heavy strain on local labor markets. Border closures with Pakistan have disrupted trade routes. Concurrently, the escalation of conflict in the Middle East due to the US-Israeli war against Iran has pushed up fuel, food, and fertilizer prices for an already vulnerable population.
In a recent early warning report, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WFP jointly identified Afghanistan as a hunger hotspot of "very high concern," where acute food insecurity will worsen for millions between June and November 2026.