It’s been four decades since the Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia shifted the conversation around global poverty. Watched by approximately 2 billion people across 150 nations, these events spurred policymakers to action and generated $125 million for famine relief.
The urgency to save lives should not be a thing of the past. Regrettably, hunger is increasing, yet funding to combat it is decreasing. The United States stands alone in its willingness to intensify efforts.
Severe acute malnutrition in children, also known as “wasting,” is developing into a global humanitarian crisis. Millions of children globally are affected at any given moment. Widespread wasting leads to conflicts, increased poverty, strained public health systems, and widespread domestic abuse, with children suffering most.
The number of children affected by acute malnutrition is predicted to increase, especially with looming famines in war zones such as Gaza and Sudan. In conflict zones, where healthcare is limited, most acutely malnourished children lack access to necessary treatment.
The combination of armed conflicts, climate change, debt burdens on low-income nations, and reduced humanitarian aid from key donor countries has made the global malnutrition crisis a severe and insufficiently addressed problem.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) estimates that, within the communities they serve, 18 million children in humanitarian crises face acute malnutrition. This suggests that globally, millions of cases of severe wasting occur each year.
The United States has historically led the charge in supporting child survival and global nutrition, contributing an estimated 35% to 40% of total global aid. While the Trump Administration correctly points out the need for greater contributions from other nations, reducing aid before these contributions materialize directly impacts vulnerable populations.
International investment provides more than just food. It supports the delivery of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), an effective peanut paste that restores children’s health within weeks. It also funds community health workers who support families in remote and unsafe locations, and maintains essential care in areas with fragile health systems.
The IRC is proud to partner with U.S. agencies to deliver effective and cost-efficient treatments for malnutrition. In FY2024, over 25% of the International Rescue Committee’s $57 million nutrition program budget across 22 crisis-affected countries was funded by the U.S. government.
However, this partnership is in jeopardy. The administration’s January 2025 policy change created uncertainty within the humanitarian sector. Temporary waivers allowed some essential programs to continue, but highlighted the fragility of the support. An even bigger threat looms as U.S.-funded nutrition grants will soon expire. Failure to renew these grants will have immediate and devastating consequences, as no other donor or government is prepared to fill the gap left by the U.S. at this scale.
The IRC projects that previously announced program cuts will result in 43,000 fewer children receiving treatment in FY2025, reducing the number from nearly 472,000 to just under 429,000. If grant renewals are not approved, this number could rise to 150,000 untreated children in FY2026. These figures represent only one organization’s impact, accounting for just 3% of the overall humanitarian budget.
The U.S. has also been critical in delivering primary healthcare in crisis settings. Many children with wasting also have treatable conditions like diarrhea, pneumonia, or missed vaccinations. If basic health systems collapse alongside nutrition program cuts, finding and treating these children early will become impossible.
The real tragedy is that we possess the knowledge and tools to save these children, and can do so more effectively than ever. Studies in several countries demonstrate that simplified treatment protocols, carried out by community health workers using color-coded arm bands for diagnosis, can achieve recovery rates exceeding 90% while cutting costs by 20-30%. This innovation was supported by the U.S. government.
While lives are invaluable, these interventions are affordable. Treating moderate acute malnutrition costs $60 to $73 per child. While the cost for severe acute malnutrition, with complications, is higher, it is still incredibly low given the life-saving benefits.
The United States has not only funded the fight against malnutrition, but has helped shape the future of the global response. This is a legacy worth preserving. If Congress and the administration act now to renew key nutrition grants, the U.S. can prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and foster a more integrated and cost-effective system that benefits more children. Failure to act risks the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.
A funding crisis is on the horizon. The Trump Administration has stated its commitment to protecting life-saving humanitarian aid, and this is the moment to prove it.
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