UNICEF warns of alarming malnutrition rates among children in Burkina Faso

04 Dec 2023 --- More than one in ten children under the age of five are facing acute malnutrition in 22 heavily conflict-affected areas of Burkina Faso, according to a recent nutrition survey commissioned by the nation’s Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, supported by UNICEF and partners. 

“Across many conflict-affected regions, we’re seeing a surge in the number of children who are gravely ill, suffering from wasting and in need of life-saving treatment. This high level of malnutrition rates is a stark reminder of the profound human cost of insecurity,” says John Agbor, UNICEF representative in Burkina Faso.

Over 630,000 children under five in the country are estimated to face acute malnutrition this year, including 172,000 suffering from severe acute wasting, according to the Integrated Phase Classification.

The affected communities 
The data was collected in July 2023 in 18 communes and seven localities, of which 15 areas were identified as having high malnutrition rates, and seven others had very high prevalence rates, surpassing the emergency threshold of 15%.

There was a similar prevalence of malnutrition between internally displaced families and host communities.

Over 630,000 children under five in Burkina Faso are estimated to have faced acute malnutrition this year (Image credit: UNICEF/UN0846999/Dejongh).The nutrition crisis extends to pregnant and breastfeeding women, with Global Acute Malnutrition rates ranging from 2.5 to 9.9%.

Limited accessibility to certain areas, restricted services at health facilities and food markets and inadequate water, hygiene and sanitation infrastructure contribute to the escalating rates of acute malnutrition among children.

The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene reported that, as of August 2023, approximately 778 health facilities were closed or operating at minimum capacity, affecting 3.6 million people’s access to healthcare and nutrition.

Funding shortages
UNICEF and partners have supported the treatment of around 211,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition, including 98,000 severe cases, between January and October this year, representing a 30% and a 21.4% increase compared to previous years, respectively.

However, the scale of the crisis surpasses the current response, as less than one-third of the required US$54 million funds for nutritional assistance in Burkina Faso have been received. 

UNICEF calls for increased flexible, timely and longer-term funding to address the needs of children and their families. Disruptions or delays in aid delivery pose a severe threat to the survival of vulnerable children and their families, underscoring the critical importance of immediate and sustained humanitarian support.

Burkina Faso is also one of four countries identified by the World Food Programme as a “hunger hotspot” due to having some of the highest levels of concern. The dwindling funding levels have also affected the WFP’s ability to assist the nation. 

Last year, UNICEF warned of an “explosion of deaths” from severe wasting in 15 countries, including Burkina Faso, as a result of the ongoing effects of the pandemic and the soaring price of staple food since Russia’s attack on Ukraine. 

A UNICEF report published this year revealed that 190 million children across ten countries in Western and Central Africa, including Burkina Faso, are at a high risk of diseases related to the “triple threat” of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. 

By Milana Nikolova