Somalia Child Hunger Crisis Deepens as 205 Health Centres Close

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia is facing a worsening child hunger crisis as humanitarian funding cuts force health and nutrition centres to shut down.

UNICEF says nearly 1.9 million children in the country are expected to suffer from malnutrition in 2026.

The number of children admitted to health facilities with severe acute malnutrition and related complications has also increased by 32%.

So far, 205 health and nutrition facilities have closed because of cuts in humanitarian funding.

UNICEF warned that as many as 618 facilities could eventually close across the country.

The closures mean families in some communities must travel much farther to find treatment for children suffering from severe malnutrition.

Somalia is already dealing with drought, conflict, displacement and rising living costs.

The World Food Programme has also warned that its financial resources are now far below what was available during the country’s 2022 hunger crisis.

Aid organisations are calling for urgent international support, warning that the loss of health facilities could make an already serious crisis even worse.