850,000 children treated in Sahel for severe acute malnutrition in 2012

By UNICEF West & Central Africa

A UNICEF progress report says that more than 850,000 children are expected to have received life-saving treatment for severe acute malnutrition across nine countries in the Sahel region during the course of 2012.

This is a projected figure based on the more than 730,000 children under 5 treated at centres between January and the end of September.

UNICEF warned in December 2011 that 1.1 million children would suffer from severe acute malnutrition in the Sahel and would need specialized help. With governments, other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations one of the biggest humanitarian efforts of its kind in the region was mounted with support from major donors and funding appeals through UNICEF National Committees.


The report says early funding by donors such as the Swedish and Danish Governments, the European Union and USAID meant crucial supplies of ready-to-use therapeutic food were purchased in good time and pre-positioned. However, there were significant challenges in the year due to people being displaced into neighbouring countries because of conflict in Mali, insecurity and severe flooding.

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For more information on UNICEF in West & Central Africa, contact Martin Dawes, UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office, Tel: +221 77 74 04 679; mdawes@unicef.org, or follow him  @Martin_Dawes  

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