Afghanistan, Sept. 5 -- Child malnutrition cases in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province have increased by 30% compared with the same period last year, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said, warning that worsening poverty, food insecurity and cuts to humanitarian aid are driving a growing nutrition crisis.
MSF officials in Kandahar said 12,530 children suffering from malnutrition sought treatment at the organization's health facility between January and August 2026. Of those, 3,450 children were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, while 1,291 children required hospitalization because of serious health complications.
The medical charity said the sharp increase reflects deteriorating living conditions across Afghanistan, where many ...