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STORY: UNICEF / MALAWI CHILDREN MALNUTRITION
TRT: 02:10
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNICEF ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: NATS
DATELINE: 14 -23 MARCH 2023, BLANTYRE, MALAWI
1. Wide shot, survivors crossing a provisional bridge over flood waters
2. Med shot, child at Kapeni Camp which is accommodating Cyclone Freddy Survivors
3. Med shot, child and mother at Kapeni Camp
4. Med shot, child eating at Kapeni Camp
5. Wide shot, people outside at Naotcha Camp
6. Wide shot, children outside at Naotcha Camp
7. Wide shot, Health Surveillance Assistant at Naotcha Camp
As Malawi still grapples with the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy in March, UNICEF warned that at least 573,000 children under five are at risk of suffering from malnutrition.
Despite recent progress in reducing chronic malnutrition, acute food insecurity—compounded by recurrent climate shocks, preventable disease outbreaks, economic instability, and chronic underfunding in the social sectors — threatens to reverse past gains.
659,000 people are currently internally displaced, including many children following Tropical Cyclone Freddy. Meanwhile, an ongoing cholera outbreak in the country has already claimed 1,759 lives.
A new Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal, launched by UNICEF today (19 May), shows an increase in malnutrition cases among children in Malawi over the last five years, with the challenge accelerating significantly in recent months. In 2023 alone, it is estimated that over 62,000 children, aged between 6 to 59 months, are at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), often called wasting.
To respond to the urgent needs of 6.5 million people, including 3.3 million children, UNICEF has increased its appeal for Malawi from 52.4 to 87.7 million US dollars. This funding will be used to meet priority needs, such as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for treating severe acute malnutrition, access to safe drinking water, sanitation, hygiene items, health, nutrition, education, child protection services, and cash transfer schemes.
In the first quarter of 2023, with the support of donors and partners, UNICEF assisted the Government of Malawi in screening 140,307 children under the age of five for acute malnutrition. Among them, 522 children were identified as having SAM and were referred to health facilities for further care.
