Acute malnutrition remains extremely high in several provinces in Afghanistan, driven by multiple factors including drought, devastating earthquakes, limited dietary diversity, and seasonal disease burdens. Moreover, the large influx of returnees is expected to place additional strain on already limited health, nutrition and WASH services, particularly in provinces like Herat, where overcrowded living conditions will heighten disease exposure and nutritional vulnerability.

Nearly 3.7 million cases of children aged 6–59 months are estimated to suffer acute malnutrition between January and December 2026, with nearly 950,000 experiencing severe acute malnutrition. During the same period, an estimated 1.2 million cases of pregnant or breastfeeding women are expected to suffer acute malnutrition. By January 2026, acute malnutrition is expected to remain stable in some provinces and slightly worsen in others, with Faryab and Paktika moving from IPC Acute Malnutrition (AMN) Phase 3 (Serious) to Phase 4 (Critical). Eighteen provinces are expected to remain in IPC AMN Phase 3.

Sustain and scale up IMAM services: Sustain and scale up the IMAM program for children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women, with particular focus on provinces where acute malnutrition is classified as Serious (IPC AMN Phase 3) and Critical (IPC AMN Phase 4).

Maintain Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme: Protect at-risk children and PBW by sustaining preventive nutrition support. Prioritise provinces projected to deteriorate and high-risk areas such as earthquake-affected, drought-affected and highreturnee provinces.

Strengthen WASH and infection prevention: Strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene services to reduce risks of acute watery diarrhoea and other infections that exacerbate malnutrition. Focus on high-returnee settlements and overcrowded communities.