Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, reported a significant surge in admissions of severely malnourished children with life-threatening complications in its inpatient facilities in northern Nigeria. Recent figures have more than doubled compared to last year in some locations, indicating an early peak of the lean season and a rise in acute malnutrition typically expected in July.
In a press release on Tuesday, the humanitarian NGO highlighted the severity of the situation. “We are treating patients on mattresses on the floor because our facilities are full. Children are dying. Without immediate action, more lives are at risk. Everyone must step in to save lives and allow the children of northern Nigeria to grow free from malnutrition and its disastrous, if not fatal, consequences,” stated Dr. Simba Tirima, MSF’s Country Representative in Nigeria.
MSF called on Nigerian authorities, international organizations, and donors to take swift action to diagnose and treat malnourished children, prevent associated complications and deaths, and engage in long-term initiatives to address the underlying causes of this urgent issue. “We’ve been warning about the worsening malnutrition crisis for the last two years. 2022 and 2023 were critical, but 2024 is even worse. We can’t keep facing these catastrophic scenarios year after year. What will it take for everyone to take notice and act?” added Dr. Tirima.
In April 2024, MSF’s medical team in Maiduguri admitted 1,250 severely malnourished children with complications to the inpatient therapeutic feeding center, doubling the number from April 2023. By the end of May, the center had scaled up to accommodate 350 patients, exceeding the 200 beds initially planned for the peak malnutrition season in July and August.
Similarly, in Bauchi state’s Kafin Madaki hospital, there was a 188 percent increase in admissions of severely malnourished children during the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. In Zamfara state, inpatient centers in Shinkafi and Zurmi saw a 30 percent increase in monthly admissions from March to April, while Talata Mafara’s facility experienced a 20 percent rise. MSF inpatient facilities in major cities like Kano and Sokoto reported alarming increases of 75 and 100 percent respectively. The therapeutic feeding center in Kebbi state also documented a more than 20 percent increase in admissions from March to April 2024.
Despite the dire situation, the overall humanitarian response remains insufficient, with other NGOs in the north also overwhelmed. In May, the United Nations and Nigerian authorities issued an urgent appeal for $306.4 million to address nutritional needs in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. However, this funding ignores other parts of northern Nigeria where needs surpass current response capacities.
“The persistent nutritional crisis in northern Nigeria demands a larger response. Funding cuts have dangerously impacted the provision of crucial therapeutic and supplementary food, with supplies completely unavailable in Zamfara for the first four months of this year and now available only in lower quantities. This compromises an effective response that addresses malnutrition earlier and reduces children’s mortality risk,” the statement added.
Dr. Tirima further stressed, “We are alarmed by the reduction in aid at these critical times. Limiting nutritional support to only severely malnourished children is like waiting for a child to become gravely ill before providing care. We urge donors and authorities to urgently increase support for both curative and preventive approaches, ensuring all malnourished children receive the care they desperately need.”