A staggering 51% rise in cases of severe malnutrition has hit northern Nigeria, according to a report by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, MSF’s International President, Dr. Christos Christou, revealed the alarming figures after his visit to Maiduguri, Borno State. The rise, recorded between January and August 2024, marks a critical escalation from the same period last year, with over 52,000 children treated for life-threatening malnutrition.

During his visit, Dr. Christou highlighted the severe challenges faced by the region, including the ongoing insecurity, frequent disease outbreaks, and insufficient healthcare infrastructure. “People in northern Nigeria are enduring extreme hardships. They lack access to essential medical services, and recent cholera and measles outbreaks have worsened the situation,” Christou noted. MSF, which has been at the forefront of healthcare in the region, had to establish a cholera treatment center following a recent outbreak.

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Dr. Christou shared insights from Nigerian doctors working with MSF, who reported a worrying trend—this year, even as the peak malnutrition season ends, the number of admissions has not decreased. He explained that many patients are arriving at hospitals too late, in severe condition, due to the lack of transportation and basic healthcare in rural areas.

Adding to the crisis, many humanitarian organizations have been forced to cut back or cease their operations in northern Nigeria due to budget constraints, leaving MSF to manage a growing number of patients. Ahmad Bilal, head of MSF’s mission, further confirmed the dire situation, stating that admissions in therapeutic feeding centers increased by 50% in the past year. He expressed concern over the limited resources, noting that overcrowding had led to cases where two children shared a single hospital bed.

The malnutrition crisis is compounded by recurring outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, with over 12,500 measles cases recorded in the first eight months of 2024—nearly double the number from the same period last year. Unvaccinated children, particularly those under the age of five, are at higher risk of acute malnutrition and increased mortality due to these diseases.