By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Geneva, 22 August 2026 Child malnutrition cases are rising in Somalia after funding cuts forced the closure of 205 health and nutrition facilities, UNICEF said Friday.
The number of children admitted to stabilization centres with severe malnutrition and complications rose 32 percent in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said at a press briefing in Geneva.
UNICEF estimates nearly 1.9 million children in Somalia could be affected by malnutrition this year, with almost 500,000 expected to suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), its most dangerous form.
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The agency said the crisis is being compounded by cuts to humanitarian logistics. The budget for UNHAS, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, which transports personnel and medical supplies to hard-to-reach communities, was cut 40 percent between 2025 and 2026.
UNICEF warned that continued cuts could reverse recent gains. Between 2021 and 2025, it supported treatment of more than 2.25 million children with severe acute malnutrition. In 2025, the recovery rate for treated children reached 97.6 percent.
The warning comes as Somalia faces drought, displacement and reduced humanitarian access, with children most exposed.