Country: Afghanistan Sources: Nutrition Cluster, UN Children’s Fund Please refer to the attached file. During Q1 2026, the Afghanistan Nutrition Cluster and partners reached nearly 945,790 people, representing 16.6% of the annual target. Nutrition services continued across the country despite funding shortages, supply constraints, and operational challenges. Under IMAM services, 9,403 SAM cases were admitted for inpatient treatment and 113,560 children received outpatient treatment. In addition, 16,219 high-risk MAM (HRM) cases, 136,550 early MAM cases, and 79,483 PLW received treatment support. For prevention activities, over 542,000 caregivers received MIYCN counselling, while Blanket Supplementary Feeding programmes (BSFP) reached 129,862 children and 55,521 women. However, around 240 districts remain without BSFP coverage due to funding and supply gaps. Nutrition surveillance data showed a slight improvement in child wasting prevalence, declining from 9.6% in Q4 2025 to 8.5% in Q1 2026. Nevertheless, 10 provinces continue to report GAM rates above 10%, with the highest prevalence in Helmand and Dalkundi. Child food insecurity remains a major concern, with 83% of SAM children living in food-insecure households. Key challenges during the quarter included 21% underreporting in March and continued supply stockouts linked to border restrictions and funding shortages. Operationally, the Cluster is transitioning to a new reporting system and advancing localization efforts through partner consultations and workshops.