A devastating surge in severe malnutrition cases among children in northern Nigeria has ignited a health crisis, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, warning of an early peak in the lean season.
Dr. Simba Tirima, MSF's Country Representative in Nigeria, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the presentation of the international organization's 2023 Activity Report and the essential medical data for the first quarter of 2024.
The report revealed an alarming 100% increase in admissions in some locations, surpassing last year's figures.
In April 2024, MSF's medical team in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, admitted 1,250 severely malnourished children with complications to their inpatient therapeutic feeding center, doubling the figure from April 2023.
According to the report, the treatment facility was forced to urgently scale up its capacity, accommodating 350 patients by the end of May, far exceeding the 200 beds initially designated for the peak malnutrition season in July and August.
Similarly, MSF-operated facilities in Bauchi state's Kafin Madaki hospital and Zamfara state's Shinkafi and Zurmi have recorded significant increases in admissions of severely malnourished children.
In Kebbi state, the therapeutic feeding center documented a rise of over 20% in inpatient admissions from March to April. MSF inpatient facilities in major cities like Kano and Sokoto are also reporting alarming surges of 75% and 100%, respectively.
In his remarks, Dr. Tirima stated that despite the alarming situation, the overall humanitarian response remains inadequate.
He said, "We are alarmed by the reduction in aid at these critical times. Reducing nutritional support to only severely malnourished children is akin to waiting for a child to become gravely ill before providing care.
"We've been warning about the worsening malnutrition crisis for the last two years. 2022 and 2023 were already critical, but an even grimmer picture is unfolding in 2024. We can't keep repeating these catastrophic scenarios year after year. What will it take to make everyone take notice and act?
"We are resorting to treating patients on mattresses on the floor because our facilities are full. Children are dying. If immediate action is not taken, more lives hang in the balance. Everyone needs to step in to save lives and allow the children of northern Nigeria to grow free from malnutrition and its disastrous long-term, if not fatal, consequences."
Meanwhile, he noted that other non-profit organizations active in the north are also overwhelmed.
Recall that the United Nations and Federal Government issued an urgent appeal in May for $306.4 million to address the pressing nutritional needs in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
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However, Dr. Tirima argued that this amount will be insufficient, neglecting other parts of northern Nigeria where needs also outweigh the current capacity of organizations to respond adequately.
Other speakers at the event urged donors and authorities to increase support urgently for both curative and preventive approaches, ensuring that all malnourished children receive the care they desperately need.
The panelists included Dr. Abdulwahab Mohamed, Medical Coordinator; Karsten Noko, Head of Mission; Usman Buba Usman, Head of Mission Advisor; and Dr. Deogracia Kabila, Medical Coordinator.
They unanimously agreed that the situation is further exacerbated by the lack of access to nutritious food, clean water, and basic healthcare in the region.
They noted that in 2023, MSF teams responded to the largest global diphtheria outbreak ever recorded, which began in Kano state and spread across the country, treating 14,832 patients.
The speakers called for immediate action to address the malnutrition crisis in northern Nigeria, warning that if immediate action is not taken, more lives will hang in the balance.
