Worrying increase in child malnutrition in Ghazni; nearly 60,000 cases recorded since the beginning of the year

Text edited for Kabul Times News:

Health officials in Ghazni province have reported a significant increase in cases of malnutrition among children, saying that since the beginning of this solar year, nearly 60,000 malnourished children have visited health centers in the province; a figure that represents an increase of about six percent compared to the same period last year.

According to health officials, widespread poverty, unemployment, food shortages and difficulty for families to access proper nutrition are among the most important factors in the increase in malnutrition among children.

Currently, hundreds of children with moderate and severe malnutrition are being treated in civilian and district hospitals in Ghazni. Doctors warn that delays in transferring children to health centers, especially in remote areas, can endanger the lives of many of them.

Zarghuna, a doctor in the province, says that a number of children are dying due to severe malnutrition. He cites the lack of proper transportation and difficulty in accessing health centers as the most important challenges in the treatment process for patients.

A number of Ghazni residents also complain about the lack of medical facilities and the high cost of health services. They say that they are forced to purchase a large part of the necessary medicines from the market at their own expense, while many families cannot afford these costs.

Citizens also demand fair and non-discriminatory health services and emphasize that access to health services should not depend on the economic status or social status of individuals.

At the same time, the World Food Program (WFP) has warned of the worsening malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan, stating that the continuing economic crisis, rising food prices, reduced humanitarian aid, and the consequences of regional conflicts have worsened the situation.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the United Nations, also announced that nearly 3.7 million children in Afghanistan are facing severe malnutrition and about 1.2 million pregnant and lactating women are also at risk of malnutrition. According to him, this humanitarian crisis will take on wider dimensions in the absence of urgent investment and support.

The World Food Program also announced that the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the closure of Afghanistan’s border crossings with Pakistan in recent months have faced serious challenges in the process of transferring humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

Reporter: Shahbanu Noori