HALF A MILLION UNDER-5 CHILDREN IN MADAGASCAR FACE ACUTE MALNUTRITION

Sat 18 July 2026:

Hunger in Madagascar is projected to worsen later this year, with the number of people facing crisis levels of food insecurity expected to rise by 75%, according to a report published by Save the Children.

About 502,000 children under the age of five, or one in 10 children in the country, along with 21,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition between May 2026 and April 2027.

“This includes about 78,000 children expected to have severe acute malnutrition, the most severe form of acute malnutrition requiring urgent medical treatment,” said the Global Hunger Monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

The report estimated that the number of people facing crisis levels of hunger between October this year and February next year could rise to 3.72 million, or about 10% of the population, while nearly 426,000 people are likely to face emergency conditions, more than double the current figure.

“Save the Children is calling on the international community to urgently increase humanitarian funding for food assistance, nutrition services, healthcare and climate-resilient support for vulnerable families before conditions worsen during the lean season,” Tatiana Dasy, the organization’s country representative to Madagascar, said in comments on the report.

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Acute malnutrition in Africa, particularly Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), is a lethal form of undernutrition affecting millions of children. It is primarily driven by extreme climate shocks, regional conflict, economic instability, and high food costs. In Sub-Saharan Africa, it contributes heavily to under-five mortality.

Current Regional Crisis Points

Eastern and Southern Africa: Almost 13 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, with nearly 4 million battling the lethal severe form.

Horn of Africa: Cycles of severe drought and displacement have left millions in need of emergency food and therapeutic support.

Madagascar: Hundreds of thousands of children face acute malnutrition due to prolonged hunger crises and climate impacts.

South Africa: While dealing with ultra-processed food environments, local studies indicate over 1,000 child deaths annually due to preventable acute malnutrition.

SAM makes young bodies highly vulnerable to illnesses like pneumonia and dehydration. In parts of the continent, the case fatality rate for hospitalized children with SAM remains critically high (between 10% and 40%), often complicated by diarrhea and severe anemia upon presentation.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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