Lomolem
Severe malnutrition among children in Kenya’s Turkana County has worsened following cuts to U.S. foreign aid, leaving families like Hellen Etiman’s struggling to feed their children. Etiman’s 4-year-old son, Peter Lokoyen, relapsed after his local clinic ran out of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a nutrient-rich peanut paste essential for treating severe acute malnutrition.
The aid disruption followed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order that temporarily suspended global assistance, affecting the procurement and distribution of RUTF worldwide. Health workers in Turkana reported unprecedented shortages, with some clinics operating for months without supplies. Children missing treatment risk irreversible stunting, weakened immunity, and impaired cognitive development.
UNICEF, the main global distributor of RUTF, restored most funding by March, but logistical challenges and high demand delayed delivery to affected clinics. Around 179,000 people in Kenya face emergency hunger levels, with 87,200 children under five in Turkana alone projected to need treatment for acute malnutrition between April 2025 and March 2026.
Aid groups, including Mercy Corps and Action Against Hunger, have documented deaths linked to halted programs in Kenya and neighboring countries. Although the U.S. State Department has resumed funding, providing $93 million for RUTF procurement, recovery of the supply chain remains uneven.
Nutritionists warn that gaps in treatment could have long-term consequences, with children like Peter losing significant weight and facing heightened risk of illness. Local health workers continue to struggle to reach vulnerable children, many of whom are now relying on foraged wild foods to survive.