The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says the number of women and adolescent girls dealing with acute malnutrition in the country is alarming.
Zivai Murira, UNICEF’s Nutrition Advisor for South Asia, stated that the number of “acute malnourished mothers has increased by more than 50 percent” in Afghanistan.
He said that 800,000 women and adolescent girls in Afghanistan are malnourished.
“UNICEF can keep supporting these women to prevent malnutrition with micronutrients, plus iron and folic acid for anemia,” Murira said.
Murira stated UNICEF is providing support to improve the nutrition situation of mothers and their children in Afghanistan.
“This critical support provided by UNICEF enables them to access essential services, including micronutrients and also counseling to help improve their nutrition and health, but also the nutrition of their children,” he added.
The organization also appealed for $186 in international aid in order to continue its efforts in providing critical support to Afghan women and children and “avoid this avoidable nutrition crisis affecting vulnerable children and women” in the country.
