Western coastal areas of Yemen are on the edge of a catastrophe due to malnutrition, the United Nations Childhood Agency (UNICEF) said on Tuesday (25).
“We have seen numbers of 33% severe and acute malnutrition in certain areas. Especially on the west coast in Hodeidah, it is on the edge of a catastrophe … where thousands will die,” Unicef’s Peter Hawkins told Geneva reporters through a Sanaa video link.
US help cuts and other donors, along with a serious lack of food distribution in 2024, contributed to a critical situation in some areas.
One in two children under five is malnourished in Yemen, plus 1.4 million pregnant and lactating women, according to the agency.
“This catastrophe is not natural – is caused by man. More than a decade of conflict has decreased the economy, health and infrastructure of Yemen. More than half of the population depends on humanitarian aid,” Hawkins added.
Earlier this month, doctors without borders warned that malnutrition was growing in Yemen, with needs surpassing the current treatment capacity. She appealed for more support after a decline in humanitarian financing for the country.
UNICEF has appealed for another $ 157 million to 2025 and says its current appeal has only 25% of financing.
Since taking office on January 20, US President Donald Trump has interrupted USAID programs for 90 days, while his government analyzes whether they are aligned with their “America first.”
This content was originally published in Yemen is close to catastrophe because of malnutrition, says Unicef on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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