Nutrition Critical: Why We Must All Act Now to Tackle Child Malnutrition

The COVID-19 crisis has put the world on the brink of a nutrition crisis, Save the Children warned in a new report today, with pandemic-related malnutrition projected to kill an average of 153 children a day over the next two years if action is not taken.In addition, a COVID-19-induced spike in the number of global malnutrition cases could push an additional 9.3 million[i] children to suffer from wasting, a result of acute malnutrition that can lead to death.

The impact of COVID-19 has led to an increase in poverty, a loss of livelihoods, and less access to health and nutrition services, pushing up rates of hunger and malnutrition. In its new report, Nutrition Critical, Save the Children said that the pandemic could reverse years of progress made in the battle against malnutrition, with children in Asia and sub-Sahara Africa being hardest hit – especially those in poorer households or in crises and conflict zones.

Even before the pandemic hit, many communities struggled to provide children with enough healthy food, with one in three children under five suffering from malnutrition[ii]. Almost half of all the deaths among children under the age of five were linked to under-nutrition.

To avert a nutrition crisis in the coming years, Save the Children urges governments and other organisations to take immediate action. This means:

• Including children in the decisions that impact them, including health and nutrition;
• Ensure financing, by making long term and flexible commitments to address malnutrition;
• Preserving and scaling up critical food, nutrition, health, water, sanitation, hygiene and livelihood assistance;
• Prioritising humanitarian cash and voucher support for families in order to increase their household income;
• Urgently addressing malnutrition in fragile or conflict affected regions;
• Strengthen essential health and nutrition services.