Doctors Without Borders has warned of the rise in child mortality as a result of the exacerbation of the malnutrition crisis in the northern Nigeria region.
A statement to the organization said that the state of Katsina, where it has been working since 2021, has been increasing a large number of children with acute malnutrition, noting the death of 652 children in its facilities since last January due to the delay in obtaining life -saving care.
“Doctors Without Borders” have treated about 70,000 children with malnutrition since the beginning of the year, including approximately 10,000 children who needed hospitalization.
The organization’s teams recorded an increase of 208% in cases of food edema, which is one of the most dangerous forms of malnutrition, during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
The crisis was not limited to children, but rather extended to adults, especially pregnant and lactating women.
In a recent examination of the organization’s 5 centers in Katsina, it was found that more than half of the mothers who brought their children for treatment were suffering from acute malnutrition.
In response to this crisis, “Doctors Without Borders” expanded its operations.
The organization, in cooperation with the local authorities, is also working on distributing nutritional supplements to about 66,000 children in Machi.
The representative of the organization in Nigeria, Ahmed Al -Dakhari, explained that the situation was very dangerous, and said, “The year 2024 was a turning point in the nutrition crisis in northern Nigeria, but what we are witnessing now exceeds all expectations.”
He said that the reduction in budgets by senior donors – such as the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union – said that destroyed the treatment efforts.
In a related context, the World Food Program announced its intention to stop emergency food support for 1.3 million people in northeastern Nigeria by the end of July due to lack of financing, which exacerbates the crisis.
Although food is available in some markets, the increasing poverty makes many families unable to buy it.
A recent study of food security in Kaita (Katsina state) revealed that more than 90% of families have reduced the number of meals they eat daily.
For his part, the organization’s nutrition expert, Emmanuel Perbin, stressed the need to distribute food on a large scale, transfer money to families, and improve access to ready -made therapeutic food for use.
“The most urgent way to reduce the risk of immediate death due to malnutrition is to ensure that families get food,” said Berbin.