Malnutrition cases increase in north of Afghanistan by 50%

Doctors at the Abu Ali Sina-e-Balkhi Regional Hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif have voiced deep concern over the increase in malnutrition among children in the north of the country, saying the prevalence of this condition has increased by 50 percent in the region.

Dr. Abdul Rauf Frogh, head of the pediatric unit at Balkh Public Health Department, said on Sunday that there are a number of reasons for the spike in malnutrition including poverty, hunger, and the lack of public awareness around health issues.

He also said the economic crisis, migration and mothers not having enough breast milk is also contributing to the rise in malnutrition among children.

According to hospital officials, on average almost 100 babies and young children are hospitalized in the northern region daily.

“As malnutrition cases have increased, we have made more beds [available] and distributed free milk to malnourished children,” Frogh said.

Parents of young children in hospitals have said poverty has resulted in their children becoming malnourished.

“We are poor and we don’t have anything to eat; I couldn’t feed my child and my husband is also unemployed; our child became malnourished because of poverty,” said one mother.

Recently, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) raised concerns about the problem and said at least 100,000 children in Afghanistan have been treated for malnutrition so far this year.