UNICEF has raised alarm over the lives of 1.3 million children in Nigeria and Ethiopia, who are at heightened risk of death from severe acute malnutrition due to a critical funding shortfall.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has issued a stark warning, revealing that 1.3 million children under the age of five in Nigeria and Ethiopia are at risk of losing access to life-saving treatment for severe malnutrition.
UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, Kitty Palais, stressed the dire situation during a visit to the Afar region of Ethiopia and Maiduguri, Nigeria, this week.
“The funding crisis goes far beyond Ethiopia and Nigeria… the most vulnerable children are bearing the brunt,” Palais stated. She emphasized the crucial need for continued support, as the reduction in donor contributions—particularly following the U.S. suspension of foreign aid in 2021—has led to the suspension of critical programs.
In Ethiopia’s Afar region, which faces recurrent droughts and floods, only seven out of 30 mobile health and nutrition teams are still operational due to the funding cuts. “Without new sources of funding, UNICEF will run out of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) by May,” Palais warned, explaining that this could have catastrophic consequences for the 74,500 children in Ethiopia who require treatment each month.
Similarly, in Nigeria, where around 80,000 children require treatment each month, UNICEF faces a similar shortage of supplies, with RUTF expected to run out soon. “The focus cannot just be on RUTF—programs must also prevent children from becoming malnourished in the first place,” Palais added.
As global funding continues to shrink, UNICEF’s immediate concern is the potential disruption of life-saving interventions, which would put the lives of millions of children at risk. “Investing in children’s survival and wellbeing is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the most economically sound choice any government can make,” Palais concluded.
UNICEF is urging governments and the international community to act quickly to prevent the crisis from worsening in both Nigeria and Ethiopia.
