LIFELINE FOR MALNOURISHED CHILDREN RESTORED AFTER CLOSURE BY US CUTS

Action Against Hunger (ACF) clinics in Kabul and Badakhshan, forced to close due to US funding cuts, have reopened thanks to fundings from the European Union¹ (EU). ACF teams are continuing to respond to the growing cases of malnutrition.   

Since March, ACF staff at two Therapeutic Feeding Units (TFUs) in Kabul and Badakhshan have faced the heart-wrenching task of turning away children in need of lifesaving care, as funding from the US came to a sudden end and the units were forced to close.   

Malnourished children who receive treatment at TFUs are so unwell that their risk of dying is 12 times higher than that of healthy children. The impact of their closure was severe: last year alone, these two clinics provided specialized treatment to more than 1000 such children. Though sorely needed, such care is not readily available in Afghanistan, whose health system is in near collapse.   

With the support of the European Union, on 11th May the Kabul TFU re-opened, resulting in 12 children being admitted on 12th May. The Badakhshan TFU was opened today 12th May, where we also anticipate a high demand for services.

“The European Union has been supporting Action Against Hunger (ACF) with five therapeutic feeding units (TFUs) across the country”, explains Cobi Rietveld, ACF Country Director in Afghanistan. “Since this month, the EU has also stepped in to support the two TFUs that were closed due to cuts in US funding. With this support, we are able to save the lives of children in critical condition. Additionally, our dedicated health staff at the TFUs, who would otherwise face unemployment in the current challenging economic situation, can continue their vital work,” she said.   

These job losses would have disproportionately impacted women, who make up 68% of all staff at ACF medical facilities. Wazhma N., who joined the TFU team in Kabul as a nurse two years ago, shares how crucial the facility is for female medical staff: “For many of us, the TFU is more than just a workplace — it’s the only place where we, women, can serve as medical professionals. Its reopening brings immense relief, not only to us but to the patients who desperately need care. We hold onto hope that this lifeline won’t be temporary but will remain open for good”.  

Although the crucial support of the EU will allow these two TFUs to resume services for several months, the situation in Afghanistan remains critical. Continued support is needed, and ACF is actively seeking further funding to ensure these essential services can be sustained.   

Since the halting of US funding, more than 396 nutrition sites have closed across the country, as well as more than 400 health facilities. International agencies predict a shortage of essential medicines in the coming months, as stockpiles put in place before the sudden funding cuts begin to dry out.   

Afghanistan is among the 15 countries with the highest burden of acute malnutrition, with at least 3 million children under five requiring lifesaving nutrition treatment annually — a figure that rose to 3.5 million in 2025². More help for services such as these is urgently needed in Afghanistan.   

¹ European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) provides humanitarian emergency and disaster response on behalf of the European Union.  

² Afghanistan Nutrition Cluster