Hunger Crisis: 400 malnourished Nigerian children admitted per day, says Doctors Without Borders

The Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) known as Doctors Without Borders has expressed worry over rise in the number of malnourished children in Nigeria, saying it admits over 400 per day in Kebbi State.

It noted that the increment was caused by limited access to healthcare, high inflation, poverty, desertification and low agriculture productivity during planting season.

It added that there was an urgent need for more non-governmental agencies and other international organisations to intervene because the surge was overwhelming.

A senior Medical Doctor of MSF, Hamza Bello, who is in charge of Maiyama ITFC Main Center in Kebbi, disclosed that since many parents heard about the free medical services being delivered by the organisation, they have been trekking about 100km to the Maiyama center to treat their malnourished babies.

He said, “There is unprecedented increase in the number of malnourished children. Over 400 per day in some cases. August used to be the peak and the situation may get worse.”

He added that MSF is the only international organisation that’s treating Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in the state.

“We are overwhelmed by the situation and there is urgent need for multi -actor support”, he said.

He disclosed that in 2022, 2,652 inpatients were recorded, in 2024, 51,139 malnourished babies were treated under severe acute malnutrition (SAM ) and 9,747 under moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), while in 2024, 51,139 patients were recorded, translating into five times of the previous years.

Doctor Bello said in 2025, within weeks 1,494 and 1,647 patients were on admission which compelled the organisation to expands its beds space.

He appealed to other international organisations to come and rescue the malnourished babies “as the state Government is trying to complement their efforts to curb the surge”.