Aid cuts are putting emergency nutrition programmes in Africa at risk

Save the Children said that aid cuts are putting the lives of people in Africa at risk with severely malnourished youngsters the most vulnerable.

It reports that at least four countries - Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan - are expected to run out of emergency food pouches over the next three months if funding gaps are not plugged.

This “wonder food” – or Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) - is an energy-dense paste that typically includes peanuts, sugar, milk powder, oil, vitamins, and minerals.

It is ideal for emergency situations as it has a long shelf-life, does not need refrigeration, and comes in easy-to-use foil pouches.

Save the Children says that over the past 30 years, it has used them to save the lives of millions of children facing acute malnutrition.

It warns that a severely undernourished child is nine times more likely to die from common infections than a well-nourished one.

In Nigeria, an estimated 3.5 million children under five are at risk of death if they do not receive timely treatment and nutrition support.

Children in northern Kenya, are increasingly vulnerable to escalating malnutrition and food insecurity because of repeated droughts and floods.

In Somalia, close to 1.8 million children - or nearly half of all children under five - are at risk of malnutrition.

One in eight children under five are suffering from the deadliest form which requires RUTF treatment, or even admission to a stabilisation centre for life-saving care.

In South Sudan, the number of children under the age of five experiencing acute malnutrition has increased this year by 10.5 per cent, from 2.1 million to 2.3 million.

A further 714,000 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition, but only one-third of them received treatment between January and July due to the closure of 15 per cent of the nutrition facilities.

The agency said that despite the needs, only 39 per cent of the required nutrition funding for 2025 has been received.

The collapse in funding globally is expected to cut off treatment for 15.6 million people across 18 countries, including over 2.3 million severely malnourished children.

The United Nations warns that September marks a critical turning point, with Save the Children urging the global community to ensure children get the support they need.