UN warns of acute malnutrition in Nigeria, 14 other countries

UN warns of acute malnutrition in Nigeria, 14 other countries

The United Nations agencies have called for urgent action to protect the most vulnerable children in 15 countries, hardest hit by an unprecedented food and nutrition crisis.

The call was made in a statement issued by five UN agencies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN had listed some countries that are hardest hit by the unprecedented food and nutrition crises.

According to the statement, conflicts, climate shocks, the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and rising costs of living are leaving increasing numbers of children acutely malnourished.

“This is happening when key health nutrition and other life-saving services are becoming less accessible.

“Currently, more than 30 million children in the 15 worst-affected countries suffer from wasting or acute malnutrition and eight million of these children are severely wasted, the deadliest form of undernutrition.

“This is a major threat to children’s lives and to their long-term health and development, the impacts of which are felt by individuals, their communities and their countries,” it said.

It said the five UN agencies are: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organisation (WHO).