The United Nations Children’s Fund has raised the alarm over Somalia’s worsening child malnutrition crisis, warning that nearly 1.9 million children could be affected by malnutrition in 2026.

UNICEF said on Friday that the number of children being admitted for severe acute malnutrition and associated complications had risen by 32 per cent, further stretching the country’s already vulnerable healthcare system.

The agency also disclosed that 205 health and nutrition facilities had ceased operations following major reductions in humanitarian funding, with up to 618 facilities at risk of shutting down if the funding crisis persists.

UNICEF spokesperson, James Elder, said the closures were limiting access to essential medical and nutritional services for vulnerable children and their mothers, particularly those living in remote communities.

According to Elder, the loss of nearby facilities could force families to travel longer distances to seek treatment, potentially delaying medical intervention and increasing the severity of illnesses that could otherwise be treated.

He appealed to international donors to sustain humanitarian funding as Somalia continues to grapple with several overlapping challenges, including drought in parts of the north, armed conflict, displacement and increasing fuel and fertiliser costs.

Médecins Sans Frontières said funding for acute malnutrition treatment programmes in some parts of Somalia had dropped by more than 80 per cent this year following the suspension of United States funding and reductions in aid from several other Western countries.

UNICEF said the projected figure of nearly 1.9 million malnourished children included almost 500,000 expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the most dangerous form of the condition.

The agency warned that further reductions in humanitarian funding could trigger additional closures of health and nutrition facilities, leaving more children without access to lifesaving care and worsening the country’s humanitarian situation.