News - Yemen: Acute malnutrition is rapidly increasing in Yemen's Southern occupied areas, with the West Coast experiencing “extremely critical” levels for the first time, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Technical Working Group in Yemen reported on Sunday.

According to the latest IPC Acute Malnutrition Analysis, the number of children under the age of five suffering acute malnutrition, or wasting, rose by 34 per cent compared to the previous year across the Saudi-UAE occupied areas, affecting over 600,000 children, including 120,000 children who are severely malnourished. The sharp rise is driven by the compounded effect of disease outbreaks (cholera and measles), high food insecurity, limited access to safe drinking water, and economic decline. Additionally, in the same catchment area, around 223,000 pregnant and lactating women were found to be acutely malnourished in 2024.

The report confirmed that the most severe level under the IPC Acute Malnutrition (IPC AMN) classification, extremely critical acute malnutrition (IPC AMN phase 5), applies to areas where the prevalence of acute malnutrition exceeds 30 per cent. For the first time, this level was reported in Hodeidah southern lowlands (Al Khawkhah and Hays districts) and Taiz lowlands (Al Makha district) during the period from November 2023 to June 2024. In Hodeidah, the prevalence of acute malnutrition soared to 33.9 per cent from 25.9 per cent year on year.

The report predicted that all 117 districts in the Saudi-backed government-controlled areas covered in the survey are projected to experience "serious” levels of acute malnutrition or worse (IPC Acute Malnutrition phase 3+), and Mawza district in Taiz lowlands is also projected to slip into the extremely critical level (IPC AMN phase 5).

“The report confirms an alarming trend of acute malnutrition for children in southern Yemen,” said UNICEF Representative to Yemen, Peter Hawkins. “To protect the most vulnerable women, girls and boys, an investment in and scale-up of prevention and treatment efforts are more critical than ever. We will continue to do everything we can including building on the existing multisectoral response to fight the life-threatening forms of malnutrition so that children can survive and grow to their full potential.”

"The alarming rise in acute malnutrition among children under 5 in [occupied] areas underscores the severe impact of disease outbreaks, high food insecurity, and poor access to essential services. FAO remains committed to supporting the sustainable restoration and diversification of agricultural livelihoods to help address the urgent needs,” said Dr. Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Yemen.

UNICEF stated that Hodeidah and Taizz, the areas with the highest prevalence of acute malnutrition had already been facing the highest rate of stunting, or chronic malnutrition. This implies that repeated deprivations are also aggravating chronic malnutrition among children in these areas.

Dr Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative to Yemen, stated, “The rising level of acute malnutrition in children aged under 5 years in Yemen also indicates that diseases are of concern. Integrated health and nutrition services, including childhood illness management and to ensure up-to-date immunization and appropriate feeding practices, are crucial to address health and nutrition emergencies.”

The recent decline is a continuation of the ongoing disaster that residents of these areas have endured for years, stemming from the mercenaries' corruption and their harmful economic policies designed to increase the burden on the population. They have plundered the nation's main resources and exploited the people's suffering to enrich their personal accounts in foreign banks. The occupied governorates have witnessed numerous popular protests, which the Saudi-backed government has brutally suppressed.