Yemen's Malnutrition Crisis Threatens Children's Lives

In many parts of Yemen, access to food, clean water, and healthcare remains critically inadequate as a result of the Yemen's ongoing conflict and economic crisis. This have fueled a devastating malnutrition crisis, with the highest rates globally. 

According to the latest IPC Acute Malnutrition Analysis, the number of children under the age of five suffering from acute malnutrition, or wasting, rose by 34 per cent compared to the previous year across the Government-controlled areas, affecting over 600,000 children, including 120,000 children who are severely malnourished. 

This sharp increase can be attributed to outbreaks of cholera and measles, as well as persistently high rates of food insecurity.

In response, the organization said it had launched, alongside the Ministry of Health, and with support from the Canadian International Development Agency - Global Affairs Canada, an integrated multi-sectoral campaign on the west coast in government-controlled areas, with the aim of stopping the rising tide of malnutrition, measles and rubella cases among children aged 6 to 59 months.

It explained that the campaign benefited 45,000 children from life-saving ready-to-use therapeutic foods, measles vaccines, and multiple micronutrient powder supplements. This campaign was also integrated with the distribution of chlorine tablets to purify water to ensure safer water in homes and behavior change activities for caregivers.

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