14 million Afghans suffer from “acute hunger”

The United Nations has warned that child malnutrition has reached critical levels in Afghanistan, driven by sharp cuts in aid, as the number of children being rushed to health centers rises rapidly. John Elife, the World Food Programme’s country director in Afghanistan, said, “Around 14 million Afghans are currently suffering from acute hunger.” Due to funding shortages, the WFP has been able to feed only one in nine of them. He added, “The number of children being urgently transported to health centers is increasing dramatically, but a large number of them arrive too late.”