ACF: World Leaders Must Address Acute Malnutrition

World leaders are failing to take sufficient action to combat
childhood malnutrition, Action Against Hunger | ACF International
warned today ahead of next week's World Food Summit in Rome. The global
humanitarian group urges governments assembling there to commit to
reducing the five million annual deaths of children from acute
malnutrition.

While governments have pledged to bolster agricultural production in
developing countries, their focus on long-term solutions risks
neglecting the immediate crisis of childhood malnutrition. Even though
the deadliest forms of the condition can be treated effectively, less
than 10 percent of the 19 million children with life-threatening severe
acute malnutrition currently receive treatment.

"Until nutrition is prioritized alongside investments in
agriculture, acute malnutrition will continue to claim the lives of
millions of children," said Nan Dale, Executive Director of Action
Against Hunger. "With the economic recession and high food prices
taking a devastating toll on the most vulnerable among us, now is the
time for world leaders to take concrete steps to address this growing
problem."
Action Against Hunger is urging world leaders meeting in Rome to
prioritize nutrition as part of ongoing efforts to address global food
insecurity by:

1. Allocating specific funding to the detection, treatment and prevention of childhood malnutrition;
2. Reflecting the importance of food safety nets in financial
   commitments. Safety nets help families afford a nutritious diet for
   their children and protect against shocks to food consumption;
3. Creating international and national mechanisms to address
   malnutrition from a range of sectors, including agricultural
   development, health, water & sanitation, and nutrition; and
4. Establishing an accountability mechanism to ensure commitments are leveraged into real action.