Funding shortages threaten child survival
“It is estimated that funding shortages for RUTF are leaving nearly two million children at risk of not receiving treatment in the 12 hardest-hit countries. Mali, Nigeria, Niger and Chad are either already experiencing or imminently facing stockouts of RUTF, while Cameroon, Pakistan, Sudan, Madagascar, South Sudan, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda could run out of stock by mid-2025,” UNICEF said.Impact of severe wasting on child health
Levels of severe wasting in children under five years remain gravely high in several countries, fueled by conflict, economic shocks and climate crises. Children suffering from wasting, which is caused by a lack of nutritious and safe foods and repeated bouts of disease, are dangerously thin and their immune systems are weak, leaving them vulnerable to growth failure, poor development, and death, according to UNICEF.Call for urgent action from UNICEF
Victor Aguayo, UNICEF’s Director of Child Nutrition and Development, called for immediate action to save the lives of approximately two million children who are struggling against severe malnutrition. “But urgent action is needed now to save the lives of nearly two million children who are fighting this silent killer,” he added.USD 165 million needed to tackle malnutrition crisis
To address the issue, UNICEF called for USD165 million in a renewed ‘No Time to Waste 2024 Update and Call to Urgent Action,’ to fund therapeutic feeding, treatment and care for the two million children at risk of death due to critical shortages of RUTF.Plan to address severe malnutrition in affected countries
Notably, UNICEF in 2022 launched the “No Time to Waste Acceleration Plan,” aimed at addressing severe malnutrition for nearly 8 million children across 15 affected countries. (With ANI Inputs)
