More than 17,000 babies and young children in Kandahar, Afghanistan have been treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) thanks to a coordinated humanitarian relief effort partially funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). This achievement was made possible through the distribution of around 16,000 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) over a 12-month period, with a project cost of $953,301.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Center (KSrelief) funded the project through the IsDB-managed Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF) in collaboration with UNICEF. The AHTF, overseen by the Islamic Development Bank, channels humanitarian aid, addresses essential needs, and fosters self-reliance and development in Afghanistan. The Fund was established following a decision by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers at their 17th Extraordinary Session on December 19, 2021, in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The project aimed to provide life-saving nutrition services to vulnerable children aged six months to five years suffering from SAM. From May 2023 to May 2024, the RUTF successfully reached 17,543 children: 9,940 girls and 7,603 boys. These sachets were distributed by UNICEF through health centers across the province.
During the recent four-month period from January to May 2024, nearly 7,480 RUTF cartons were used to treat 5,848 malnourished children – 3,274 girls and 2,574 boys. The cure rate for severely malnourished children admitted for treatment was 86%, and the death rate was less than 0.2%, surpassing the minimum humanitarian standards for managing acute malnutrition.
Narges, a mother, brought her daughter, Hasenat, to a clinic when her child's condition worsened. Upon arrival, the clinic provided Hasenat with RUTF packets, leading to improvement in her health. Nutrition Counsellor Narges Ehsan reported an increase in the number of moderately and severely malnourished children admitted for treatment, indicating the growing need for such humanitarian efforts.
Despite the challenges of addressing severe malnutrition, including the remoteness of health centers and limited transport networks, this program achieved results, giving thousands of children a second chance to thrive.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep current on world news.
Comments (0)