UN warns of expanding levels of acute malnutrition in areas controlled by legitimate government

The United Nations has warned of the expansion of acute malnutrition levels in areas controlled by the legitimate government, calling for urgent intervention to prevent an increase in the incidence of the disease and deaths resulting from it among children under the age of five.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, issued the day before yesterday, that “the health crisis on the West Coast is worrying, and the fifth phase of the IPC AMN in Taiz is expected to expand during the current period (July to October 2024), bringing the number of areas witnessing the fifth phase of the IPC AMN in the Yemeni government areas to four.”

The report stressed that "these areas require immediate intervention to prevent increased incidence of the disease and potential deaths among children under the age of five years."

A UN analysis, in cooperation with government health authorities and partners, was carried out in coastal areas under the control of the legitimate government in Taiz and Hodeidah, and revealed the existence of three areas suffering from “very critical” levels of acute malnutrition among children under five.

These cases were concentrated in Taiz (Al Mokha, Dhubab, Mawza and Al Wazi’iyah districts), Hays and Al Khawkhah in Al Hudaydah Governorate, where 23,346 cases under the age of five were recorded as suffering from severe acute malnutrition, in addition to 40,561 other cases in the same age group suffering from level four malnutrition, according to the report.

The report noted that the factors contributing to acute malnutrition are multifaceted, including poor quality of food, insufficient dietary diversity, or suboptimal breastfeeding practices.