MOGADISHU, SOLAR (AP) – The cries of malnourished children echoed throughout the ward. One of the patients, one-year-old Mackyle Mohamed, was struggling to breathe as the doctor pressed on his chest in a desperate attempt to assist him.
His father arrived too late in Somalia‘s capital, Mogadishu. Sadly, the young boy, a victim of malnutrition-related complications, did not make it.
“Are you sure? Did he really pass away?” his father, Mohamed Mau, questioned the doctor in disbelief.
The tragedy at Banadir Hospital earlier this month highlighted the anguish faced by an increasing number of Somalis unable to nourish their children. This issue will persist under the Trump administration.
Previously, the U.S. International Development Agency was responsible for 65% of Somalia’s foreign aid.
Now USAID has been dismantled, resulting in the closure of numerous hunger centers crucial in a nation with one of the world’s most fragile health systems, already burdened by decades of turmoil.
Save the Children, the largest non-governmental organization providing health and nutrition services for Somali youth, indicated that 121 unfunded nutrition centers are at risk of closure by June, endangering the lives of 55,000 children.
According to Save the Children, the cuts in aid are projected to worsen malnutrition in 11% of children compared to last year.
Somalia has long battled food insecurity spurred by climate-induced droughts. However, both aid groups and the populace are fearing a looming catastrophe.
Former Somali foreign minister Ahmed Moirin stated on state-run television last month that USAID had allotted $1 billion in funding for Somalia in 2023, with similar amounts anticipated for 2024.
Much of this funding has now dissipated.
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department confirmed to the Associated Press that “several vital humanitarian programs are functioning in Somalia, including those providing food and nutritional aid to children,” emphasizing efforts to ensure the continuation of these programs during the transition to the State Department.
However, aid workers point out that the U.S. has not disclosed which programs are truly saving lives or whether funding will remain available post-July 1st.
Care, an aid organization, warns that by June, 4.6 million people in Somalia are expected to face severe hunger.
This dire situation is affecting both rural communities and Mogadishu, where over 800,000 people have been displaced. Feeding centers have become scarce across the city.
Some individuals still visit closed centers, clinging to the hope of receiving assistance.
Mogadishu residents report suffering as well.
A father and tailor shared his struggle to provide three meals a day for his family of six. His wife, unable to breastfeed Mackyle, has seen her child’s malnutrition worsen after multiple hospital visits.
Doctors have confirmed that malnutrition was a significant factor in Mackyle’s deterioration.
The Nutrition Center at Banadir Hospital, where the Ma’ow family relied on food aid, is operated by Africe, a local partner of UNITHERIGHT ASFRICH and UNICEF, both of which have lost funding.
Simon Karanja, a local UNICEF official, expressed his inability to provide life-saving aid as 15% of children in the area are acutely malnourished, due to shortages of medical supplies and nutritional support from partners.
Abdullahi Hassan, a worker from the same organization, confirmed that several nutrition centers in Mogadishu must shut down. “Sadly, we might see some child fatalities,” he remarked.
Without the food aid they once took for granted, many Somali families now witness their children facing severe malnutrition.
Between April and May, more than 500 malnourished children were admitted to hospitals, according to Dr. Mohamed Jama, director of the Nutrition Centre. He noted that such surges typically occur during significant crises like droughts, but described the current situation as unprecedented.
“The funding gap has impacted not only malnutrition but also the medical staff, whose salaries have been slashed,” he added.
Fadumo Ali Adawe, a mother of five residing in one of the camps, expressed the need for emergency aid for her three-year-old daughter. The nearby nutrition center she relied on has closed.
“I’m at a loss for what to do next,” she lamented.
The inside of the center was strewn with empty food packages, with a USAID poster still hanging on the wall.
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