Severe Hunger Hits Northern Nigeria - Over 400 Children Admitted Daily for Malnutrition in Kebbi, as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

 

A humanitarian alarm has been raised in Kebbi State as Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF), widely known as Doctors Without Borders, grapples with a skyrocketing number of severely malnourished children. The organization, which provides free healthcare services in the region, now admits over 400 children daily in some cases, marking an unprecedented surge that is pushing the group’s resources to the brink.

MSF’s senior medical official in charge of the Maiyama Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC), Dr. Hamza Bello, described the current situation as overwhelming. He noted that this level of crisis is unlike anything the organization has dealt with in the region before. With rising poverty, food insecurity, and systemic gaps in healthcare delivery, Dr. Bello expressed serious concern over what lies ahead if immediate multi-agency intervention does not occur.

Local communities, already battling economic hardship, desertification, and low agricultural yields, are now facing an acute humanitarian crisis. The spike in malnutrition is a tragic consequence of worsening conditions that continue to devastate rural populations. Families, mostly subsistence farmers, struggle to feed their children amid spiraling food prices and deteriorating access to basic health services.

One of the more heartbreaking details Dr. Bello shared was that parents now trek over 100 kilometers with sick children just to reach the Maiyama center. Many have no other options; MSF remains the only international medical organization offering free and specialized treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Kebbi State. The sheer distance these families cover is a testimony to their desperation and the critical gap in regional healthcare infrastructure.

Dr. Bello stated, “There is an unprecedented increase in the number of malnourished children. We are recording more than 400 admissions per day in some cases. This number used to peak around August but it is already far beyond normal and may worsen.” His comments reflect the urgency on the ground, as the center races to keep up with demand.

The statistics presented are staggering. In 2022, the organization recorded 2,652 inpatient malnutrition cases. Fast forward to 2024, and the numbers have exploded. A total of 51,139 cases of severe acute malnutrition were treated, along with an additional 9,747 cases of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). These figures represent more than a fivefold increase from previous years, and 2025 appears poised to follow a similarly troubling trajectory.

Within the first few weeks of 2025 alone, between 1,494 and 1,647 children were on admission at various points. To cope, MSF had to increase its bed capacity. Yet, this expansion is merely a temporary fix in a crisis that demands broader systemic support.

What makes this crisis even more critical is the fact that MSF is operating largely alone in its efforts. “We are overwhelmed by the situation,” Dr. Bello explained. “There is urgent need for multi-actor support. We need more non-governmental organizations and international bodies to join this fight before the situation deteriorates further.”

Although the Kebbi State Government is making attempts to complement MSF’s operations, the magnitude of the crisis far outweighs current capacity. Local government support, while appreciated, cannot replace the expansive reach and resources that global humanitarian organizations bring.

High inflation and poor agricultural performance during the last planting season have compounded the malnutrition crisis. Farmers have had to contend with irregular rainfall patterns, degraded soil, and rising costs of fertilizer and seed. The result is low crop yields and shrinking household food reserves, which are vital for child nutrition in rural settings.

Desertification continues to rob communities of arable land, pushing food security further out of reach. When combined with inadequate healthcare access and growing poverty levels, the result is a perfect storm of malnutrition and suffering.

Dr. Bello’s plea to the international community is both direct and heartfelt. He stressed that time is running out and that every day without added support means more children are at risk of death or long-term health complications due to malnutrition.

“We are calling on other humanitarian agencies to come to Kebbi’s aid. The situation is beyond our capacity. We have expanded bed spaces and restructured our operations, but more help is urgently needed,” he said.

Many of the children brought to the center are in critical condition, some too weak to sit upright. Medical teams work around the clock to stabilize these young patients, administer therapeutic feeding, and offer counseling to parents. But with such an influx of cases, even the most dedicated efforts are stretched thin.

The humanitarian community must act now. The story unfolding in Kebbi is not just a local tragedy but a reflection of broader global challenges that intersect at the juncture of poverty, climate change, and underfunded public health. Without immediate support, the lives of thousands of innocent children remain in grave jeopardy.

Doctors Without Borders has sounded the alarm. The question that remains is whether the world will listen and act before the crisis spirals beyond recovery.