Afghanistan’s child deaths are rising

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, August 6, 2026

Child malnutrition in Afghanistan has reached critical levels in a third of provinces due to significant cuts in humanitarian funding, leading to the closure of 142 health centers and leaving over 13,000 children without nutritional treatment. This crisis threatens the lives of nearly 3.7 million acutely malnourished children and underscores the urgent need for increased aid as organizations struggle to meet rising demand amid ongoing conflict and economic instability.

Child malnutrition in Afghanistan has reached alarming levels, with a third of the country’s provinces experiencing critical conditions amid significant cuts to humanitarian aid, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reported Tuesday. The agency warned that reduced funding has forced the closure of health centers and will likely lead to a further rise in child mortality.

John Aylieff, WFP’s country director in Afghanistan, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that immediate action is required to prevent additional child deaths linked to the nutrition crisis. “It is already too late for too many,” he noted.

Afghanistan continues to face the repercussions of decades of conflict and instability, exacerbated by the 2021 withdrawal of US troops and the subsequent takeover of the country by the Taliban. Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office in Afghanistan, highlighted that waste-related malnutrition among children has deteriorated in over 75% of the country this year. She added that many children arrive at health facilities severely malnourished, while others never reach medical aid.

According to the WFP, aid reductions in 2025 resulted in the closure of 142 health centers, cutting off nutritional treatment for more than 13,000 children. The agency did not specify which donors contributed to the funding shortfalls. However, previous reports have linked broader international aid reductions to policy shifts, including cuts in US foreign assistance.

The scale of the problem is substantial: nearly 3.7 million Afghan children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, alongside approximately 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women. Twelve provinces have reached critical levels of child malnutrition—the highest number recorded—due to a combination of ongoing conflict, high unemployment, soaring food prices, disease outbreaks, and deteriorating water and sanitation conditions.

Humanitarian organizations operating in Afghanistan have reported that the cuts in funding have severely constrained their ability to respond. Aylieff described the financial shortfalls as “devastating,” noting that WFP has been forced to turn away nearly 75% of acutely malnourished children in need of assistance. Since 2022, funding for food aid has declined by about 59%, even as the demand for support continues to increase.

In June, the United States pledged $800 million to the WFP, which in turn plans to provide aid to over 38 million people across at least 37 countries. Despite such commitments, the situation in Afghanistan highlights the wider challenges facing humanitarian aid delivery amid funding constraints and escalating crises worldwide.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.