Severe child malnutrition surges by 60% in Somalia as health system falters, World Vision warns

MOGADISHU (April 27, 2026) — World Vision-supported health facilities across Somalia have recorded a sharp increase in the number of children admitted with severe malnutrition, the Christian humanitarian organization reported. Between January and March, more than 3,500 children were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, marking a 60% rise compared to the same period in 2025, when just over 2,000 cases were reported.

This alarming surge is driven by prolonged drought conditions that continue to devastate communities nationwide. Consecutive failed rainy seasons have severely limited access to food and water, pushing millions into hunger.

Children under the age of five remain the most vulnerable, with many now at risk of life-threatening complications linked to acute malnutrition. Funding cuts to the health and nutrition sectors are set to further worsen an already dire situation. More than 250 health facilities have closed, while the nutrition sector has received only 4% of the funding required to sustain life-saving services, leaving millions of vulnerable children at heightened risk.

“Somalia is once again approaching the brink of a full-scale hunger crisis with conditions having already preceded the early warning signs seen before previous famine-like crises,” said Kevin Mackey, World Vision’s national director in Somalia. “We are witnessing a catastrophe unfolding before our eyes. The number of children arriving at our health facilities on the brink of starvation is deeply alarming. The few facilities still operating are overwhelmed and face an uncertain future. If these services shut down, the consequences for children and communities will be unimaginable.”

Zerihun Merea, a World Vision health and nutrition advisor in Somalia noted that urgent funding is needed to keep health facilities open.

“In the health facilities that we support, we are treating children who are too weak to cry, their bodies shutting down after days without food, mothers are being forced to walk for hours to reach the nearest health facility,” she said. “If urgent funding is not secured in the coming weeks, more health facilities will close, treatment programs will collapse and thousands of children who could be saved will instead face preventable deaths.”

At a time when needs are surging, the dramatic drop in humanitarian funding is leaving responders without resources to save lives. The cost of inaction is catastrophic on children’s lives. Without immediate and sustained support, this crisis will deepen, silently claiming the lives of the most vulnerable.

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X @WorldVisionUSA.