<\/p>\n
A MSF survey conducted across 888 households at 14 displacement sites in Baidoa, Southwest Somalia, found that one in every four children screened was severely malnourished.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind every statistic is a child,\u201d MSF Project Coordinator in Somalia Allara Ali said. \u201cWhat we are seeing is shocking and far beyond the threshold of an extremely critical emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The findings are consistent with MSF\u2019s regular surveillance in Baidoa. Teams have screened more than 21 000 children under five since January and recorded global acute malnutrition levels of about 50%.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The survey found that one-third of families survive on one meal a day, while only 2% can afford three meals.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Consecutive failed rains and worsening drought have deprived families of food, water, crops and livestock. More than 500 000 people were displaced in Somalia during the first three months of 2026, with drought driving nine in 10 displacements.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Women and children accounted for 85% of those displaced.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Since January, more than 21 000 children have been admitted to MSF-supported outpatient malnutrition facilities in Baidoa, more than double the number recorded during the same period in 2025.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A further 2 890 children required inpatient treatment, representing a 78% increase from the corresponding period last year. Admissions to MSF-supported inpatient facilities in Mudug rose by 70% during June and July.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe world cannot wait for a famine declaration before acting,\u201d Ali said. \u201cAction is needed now to prevent loss of lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Measles and diphtheria are also spreading as vaccination campaigns fail to reach all communities. MSF has treated about 2 500 measles cases in Baidoa since January, compared with approximately 1 700 throughout 2025.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
More than 2 600 pregnant and breastfeeding women were admitted for malnutrition support during the past two months.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
MSF expanded one treatment facility from 50 to 150 beds and continues providing water and relief items. However, Ali said medical treatment alone cannot resolve the crisis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cA hospital bed can save a child today. But it cannot protect that child if they return to a shelter with no food, no clean water and no basic services,\u201d Ali said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Somalia\u2019s 2026 humanitarian response plan has been reduced by 40% and was less than one-third funded by July. MSF called for more treatment beds, medical workers, therapeutic food, medicines and urgent vaccination campaigns.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–MSF\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":41511,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-42155","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"One in two children screened at displacement sites in Baidoa is acutely malnourished, prompting M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF) to demand an urgent, adequately funded emergency response.","published_date":"","news_description":"One in two children screened at displacement sites in Baidoa is acutely malnourished, prompting M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF) to demand an urgent, adequately funded emergency response.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/42155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/42155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42156,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/42155\/revisions\/42156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=42155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}