Hyderabad: Coronavirus may push an additional 10 million of the world’s children into acute malnutrition. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that the number of young children suffering from this life-threatening form of undernutrition could increase by 20 per cent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virus can have a devastating effect on small bodies already weak from poor nutrition. At the same time, the pandemic is having a disastrous effect on vulnerable families relying on a daily wage or a remittance. COVID-related lockdowns and movement restrictions are severely undermining livelihoods, worsening existing threats like conflict and weak health systems, making it especially hard for families in poorer nations to afford a nutritious diet.
"If we fail to act now, we’ll face devastating loss of life, health and productivity in future generations. Getting nutrition right today will determine whether the consequences of COVID-19 for children will be felt for months, years or even decades to come," says Lauren Landis, WFP’s Director of Nutrition.
