Armed Conflicts, Climate Change Driving Rising Malnutrition Rates in North-East States, Says ICRC
From Umar Dankano, Yola
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has raised alarm over the persistent increase in malnutrition rates across North-East Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.
In a press release, the ICRC’s public relations official, Aliyu Dawobe, attributed the rising malnutrition to the impacts of armed conflicts and climate change, which have disrupted food production in the region.
The statement highlighted a 24% increase in admissions of severely malnourished children at health facilities supported by the ICRC in North-East Nigeria between the third quarters of 2023 and 2024.
“The 24% increase reflects cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), both with and without medical complications, treated in ICRC-supported facilities, rising from 6,824 in Q3 of 2023 to 8,470 in Q3 of 2024,” the statement noted.
The number of children under five suffering from SAM with medical complications increased by 39.5%, from 1,212 cases in Q3 of 2023 to 1,691 in Q3 of 2024.
The ICRC explained that this trend is part of a broader crisis affecting the entire Lake Chad Basin, where an estimated 6.1 million people are expected to face food shortages in the coming months due to conflict and climate impacts—the highest figure in four years.
The organization noted a 58% increase in violent incidents in the Lake Chad region during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, further exacerbating food insecurity by disrupting communities’ ability to grow crops and access markets.
Climate hazards have also played a significant role, with heavy floods at the start of the harvest season washing away seeds and limiting the prospects for dry-season farming. This has compounded the food security crisis across the Lake Chad region, affecting Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
The ICRC called on all parties involved in armed conflicts to adhere to international humanitarian law (IHL), which mandates ensuring that people in their territories have access to essential needs such as food, water, medical care, farmland, and markets.
The organization engages with all conflict parties to promote respect for IHL, including the need to avoid actions that disrupt access to fields and markets, restrict livestock movement, or limit humanitarian aid to communities in need.
Yann Bonzon, ICRC’s Head of Delegation in Nigeria, expressed concern over the devastating effects of escalating violence and climate variability on families struggling to feed themselves.
“We see the evidence in the health facilities we support, where the increasing number of children with severe acute malnutrition is heartbreaking. Sadly, these children represent only a fraction of those in need across the region,” he stated.
