Acute malnutrition rates among children under five are the highest ever recorded in parts of Yemen, as a new official UN report shows. The analysis – which is for 133 districts in southern parts of Yemen only, home to 1.4 million children under five – reveals that one in five children under five in parts of Yemen are estimated to be acutely malnourished and in urgent need of treatment, with a near 10 percent increase in cases of acute malnutrition in 2020.
The greatest increase is in cases of young children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with a 15.5 percent rise during 2020. This leaves at least 98,000 children under five at high risk of dying without urgent treatment for severe acute malnutrition. These unprecedented data follow several alerts by UN agencies and INGO on the deteriorating food security in the country. “We’ve been warning since July that Yemen is on the brink of a catastrophic food security crisis. If the war doesn’t end now, we are nearing an irreversible situation and risk losing an entire generation of Yemen’s young children” sais Lise Grande, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen.
In the worst hit areas included in this analysis – Abyan lowlands (23%), Lahj lowlands (21%), Taiz lowlands (22%) – around one in five children are acutely malnourished. In Hodeidah’s lowlands, more than one in four or 27% of children are acutely malnourished. At least a quarter of a million pregnant or breastfeeding women are also in need of treatment for malnutrition. INTERSOS is currently active with nutrition services in two of the above-mentioned areas, Lahj and Taiz, as well as in other three governorates of Yemen. “Since the beginning of 2020 we have screened over 36.000 children under 5, and 7% of the screened children had to be treated for Severe Acute Malnutrition, a medical condition that, if not treated, can rapidly lead to death, underlines Mattia Leveghi from INTERSOS Yemen.
UN experts warn the actual number is likely higher as the drivers of malnutrition in Yemen have worsened in 2020. Yemen has long battled with some of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. Until now, humanitarian interventions to treat and prevent malnutrition, as well as provide emergency food assistance, have prevented an even more severe deterioration. But in 2020, these hard-won gains are being lost. Escalating conflict and economic decline, plus the overwhelming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has pushed an already exhausted population to the brink. Add to this, many aid projects including emergency food assistance and WASH services have been disrupted by funding shortfalls. Malnutrition treatment programmes are also at risk if additional funds are not received soon.
“Hunger and food security are worsening, and families are growing desperate due to the funding shortfall”, Mattia Leveghi underlines. “Cuts in food aid have already impacted 9 million people, and a further 1.37 million may be affected from December. Pregnant and lactating women not only receive fewer nutrition services, but also reduced access to ante-natal and post-natal care, with devastating effects on children’s malnutrition”.
Since 2015, INTERSOS provides nutrition services to children under five years of age, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable groups across five different governorates in Yemen. At present, patients are screened, through MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference), for Moderate and Severe Acute Malnutrition in 28 INTERSOS-supported health facilities and by 3 Mobile Clinic Teams. Access to nutrition services especially in remote areas is strengthened by a network of all female Community Health Volunteers, who conduct home-to-home outreach screening activities, provide micro-nutrient supplementation and deworming. Beneficiaries in need of nutrition treatment are provided with relevant services, while those with critical Severe Acute Malnutrition are referred to Stabilization Centers or Therapeutic Feeding Centres at governmental hospitals. Cash assistance is ensured for the caregivers and children who cannot afford the expenses related to accommodation in and transportation to the Therapeutic Feeding Centres. Awareness raising on Infant and Young Children Feeding, breastfeeding, and hygiene practices further improves malnutrition prevention. INTERSOS nutrition programming is usually integrated part of primary health care services. Funding come from donor/partners such as WHO, UNICEF, OFDA and DG ECHO.
Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Nearly 80 per cent of the population – over 24 million people – require some form of humanitarian assistance and protection. Reduction of funds is however raising concern. By mid-October, only US$1.43 billion of the US$3.2 billion needed in 2020 has been received. To save lives and avert a further worsening of the situation, the United Nations and partners need more than USD 50 million to urgently scale up nutrition programmes, including treatment for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. At the same time, funding is also needed to scale-up food, water, sanitation and health programmes including immunization.