A logistics hub in Termez, Uzbekistan, continues to facilitate the delivery of therapeutic food and essential medicines to children and families in Afghanistan, Afghan news outlet Hasht-e Subh reported on October 25, citing the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
According to the outlet, the agency highlighted the Termez center's crucial role in maintaining an uninterrupted pipeline of humanitarian relief. Timely shipments of specialized nutrition are considered critical amid rampant malnutrition among Afghan children.
The Regional Humanitarian Logistics Hub in Termez was established by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in October 2021 with the support of the Uzbek government. As the UN noted, the facility's location just two kilometers from the Afghan border enables the rapid dispatch of aid. Its infrastructure serves several UN agencies, including UNICEF and the World Food Programme.
These relief shipments are unfolding against a worsening nutritional crisis in Afghanistan. In a joint press release issued on October 15, UNICEF and Action Against Hunger warned that more than four million children could require treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027—the highest level in five years. An estimated 1.09 million children are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, marking a 16% increase compared to 2026 estimates.
The number of provinces facing critical levels of acute malnutrition rose from seven in 2025 to ten in 2026, and could reach fourteen next year. The organizations attribute the deterioration to severe shortages of nutritious food and safe drinking water, outbreaks of infectious diseases, and chronic underfunding. Disruptions in cross-border transport also hinder the flow of therapeutic nutrition and delay lifesaving care.
UNICEF and its humanitarian partners urged donors to secure sustained funding for nutrition, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs. According to the agencies, timely assistance remains vital both to treat afflicted children and to avert new cases of severe malnutrition.
