Nearly 6.4 million children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition across the northeast, northwest, and north central regions, a situation significantly driven by ongoing armed conflicts, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The organisation said the conflict which has lasted for fifteen years continues to worsen food insecurity, with children bearing the most consequence.

According to a statement from the organisation, the situation is most severe in the northeast, particularly in Borno and Yobe. In the northwest, Sokoto and Kebbi are the worst affected states, while in the north central Benue is most affected.

The key drivers fuelling the situation across the analysed regions include high rates of disease, weak health systems, inadequate food consumption, and insecurity linked to armed conflict, insurgency, and clashes between farmers and herders.

Without access to farmland or stable income, the link between displacement, food insecurity and malnutrition becomes direct, and children are often the first to suffer, the organisation stated, adding that in that hard-to-reach areas, especially in Borno and parts of Yobe, rates of severe acute malnutrition remain persistently high.

The ICRC noted that while the humanitarian sector faces mounting pressure from escalating violence and reduced funding, people’s needs continue to grow.

“We treat an average of more than 1,000 children under the age of five per year,” Bob Panama, a nutrition expert from ICRC in Biu said.

It satated that the increase in malnutrition and its root causes require a comprehensive response, as treating children in health centres is not enough,

urging clinical care with livelihood support, improved access to safe drinking water, hygiene promotion, and seasonal assistance to help families cope with the most difficult food producing periods.

(BusinessDay)