Child malnutrition soars in parts of Yemen
Rampant food insecurity comes as UN-led efforts in Yemen face serious funding shortfalls.
The rates of child malnutrition are among the highest ever recorded in parts of war-ravaged Yemen, with at least 98,000 children under five at risk of dying without urgent treatment, the United Nations said in a report Tuesday.
Acute malnutrition among children in the age group has risen by 15.5% in 2020, according to a UN analysis of south Yemen. Hodeidah’s lowlands are one of the worst-hit areas, with 27% of children considered acutely malnourished.
A survey of child malnutrition in northern Yemen, which is controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthis, is underway and expected to be “equally concerning.”
Poor-quality diets, high rates of disease and limited access to nutrition services are among the reasons Yemen is one of the most difficult places in the world to be a mother, the report said. At least a quarter of a million pregnant or breastfeeding women are in need of treatment for malnutrition, but experts say the real number is likely higher.
