- MSF reveals 652 child deaths from malnutrition in Katsina in 2025
- Nearly 70,000 children treated; 10,000 hospitalised
- Cuts in international funding blamed for worsening crisis
Over 650 children have d!ed from severe acute malnutrition in Katsina State between January and June 2025, international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has revealed.
Eko Hot Blog reports that MSF, which has been running nutrition and paediatric services in Katsina since 2021, said the surge in cases is unprecedented and linked to a drop in humanitarian aid.
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In a statement released on Friday, July 25, MSF’s country representative in Nigeria, Ahmed Aldikhari, said, “This year alone, 652 children have already d!ed in our facilities because they couldn’t get timely access to care.”
According to the group, nearly 70,000 malnourished children were treated during the six-month period, with almost 10,000 needing hospitalisation due to the severity of their condition.
The rising toll is compounded by international funding cuts. Major donors including the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union have reduced humanitarian contributions to the region. Earlier this week, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced plans to suspend emergency food and nutrition aid to 1.3 million people in Northeast Nigeria by the end of July due to “critical funding shortfalls.”
MSF also reported a 200% spike in the number of children presenting with nutritional oedema the deadliest form of malnutrition compared to the same period last year.
The group warned that the impact extends beyond children. A recent screening of 750 mothers who accompanied malnourished children to MSF facilities found that more than half were themselves acutely malnourished. Thirteen per cent were classified as severely affected.
Aldikhari noted, “The year 2024 marked a turning point in northern Nigeria’s nutritional crisis, but the true scale of the crisis this year exceeds all predictions.”
He added that many families can no longer afford food, even though it remains available in markets. MSF has called for immediate international support to avert further loss of life.
