In the run-up to the G7 summit, the United Nations Children’s Fund warns UNICEF that the number of children at risk of acute severe malnutrition is increasing by the minute. Nearly eight million children under the age of five in 15 crisis countries are therefore at risk of death, UNICEF Germany announced.
With the worsening global food crisis, the number of children with severe acute malnutrition in these particularly vulnerable countries has increased by 260,000 girls and boys since the beginning of the year. They should receive therapeutic food and medical attention immediately.
Food insecurity is increasing
Rising food prices due to the war in Ukraine, prolonged droughts caused by climate change and the ongoing economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic are exacerbating food insecurity among children worldwide.
“We are witnessing a powder keg catch fire,” UNICEF director Catherine Russell said. “Food aid is important, but we cannot save starving children with sacks of wheat. We must treat these children therapeutically now, before it is too late.”
‘G7 must act proactively’
UNICEF Germany President Georg Graf Waldersee said: “To prevent such crises in the future, it is not enough to treat the symptoms alone. At the same time, the G7 must act far-sightedly and sustainably secure and strengthen food systems and health care for children worldwide.”
According to UNICEF, severe acute malnutrition occurs when a child is too thin in relation to his height. This is the most immediate, visible and life-threatening form of malnutrition. A weakened immune system also means that a severely acutely malnourished child is 11 times more likely to die than a healthy child.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
