Cases of acute malnourishment in children confirmed in Syrian town: UNICEF

Following a second multi-agency aid operation in the besieged Syrian town of Madaya on Thursday, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday that cases of severe acute malnutrition were found among children there.

As well as delivering critical humanitarian supplies, UNICEF personnel, together with World Health Organisation (WHO) staff, screened 25 children under five for malnutrition by using the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference measurement.

Results revealed that 22 of these young children showed signs of moderate to severe malnutrition.

A further 10 children aged between six and 18 years old were screened, with six children presenting signs of severe malnutrition.

"While the findings of this mission are by no means a representative sample, and we cannot yet draw conclusions from it about the overall nutrition situation, it provides a real time reflection of the situation on the ground in Madaya," said UNICEF official in Syria, Hanaa Singer, in a statement.

The UN agency also reminded that 14 other "Madayas" exist across war-torn Syria, a country which has seen warring factions use siege as a tactic of war, depriving children and civilians from access to critical supplies and services. Endit