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Key Facts and Figures
• High Chronic Malnutrition rate ( 58% of Children Under five)
• High Acute malnutrition rate ( over 15% GAM)
• Widespread Food insecurity – 44% of population is moderate to severely food insecure
• An estimated over 1 million children under five are acute malnourished, 250,000 Severe Acute malnourished
• 750,000 Pregnant and Lactating women are undernourished
Overview of Nutrition Situation in Yemen
Malnutrition problem in Yemen is a long standing concern, with increasing trend reported since 1997, for both stunting which represents the chronic nature of the problem, and wasting which reflects the on-going acute situation which overall percentages exceeded the emergency threshold nationwide. According to the State of the world children 2012, global acute malnutrition among under 5 girls’ and boys’ in Yemen is15%, underweight 43% and stunting is 58%. Nutrition surveys conducted last year in several governorates of the country revealed a dire child nutrition situation.
Situation of Maternal under nutrition is no different as a quarter of reproductive age women are undernourished which further exacerbates child malnutrition status. Recent trends in food insecurity indicate the situation is unlikely to get better in 2013. The WFP CFSS (Comprehensive Food Security Survey) reveled that the number of moderate to severely food insecure households nearly doubled from the level in 2009 rising 22% to 44 % by 2012. In addition to food security other determinants of malnutrition have deteriorated since the Arab spring events, the capacity of the partially functioning public health/ nutrition services has been reduced, and it has be en further exacerbated by fuel crisis ,lack of government support , and inaccessibility to the health staff , leaving the under 5 girls and boys and mothers without adequate medical/Nutrition care.
In 2013 , an estimated 1 million Children are acutely malnourished, among with 255,000 are severe acute malnourished. Unless An estimated 750,000 Pregnant and lactating women are Undernourished . Unless intervened under nutrition continues to fuel already high child mortality in the country. It is estimated that over 35% of child mortality is attributed to malnutrition in countries like Yemen. Lifesaving nutrition programs such as treatment of acute malnutrition, and micronutrient supplementation should be scaled up and services should be sustained to avert deaths and suffering from malnutrition .