malnutrition remains a severe public health issue in Mali, a landlocked nation in West Africa with over 15 million inhabitants. Despite ongoing prevention efforts, pockets of high malnutrition rates persist across the country. Here’s a closer look at the situation.

Mali faces multiple malnutrition hotspots. In recent years, Malian authorities have intensified their response, as the country grapples with one of the highest child mortality rates in the region—nearly 1 in 5 Malian children dies before age five. malnutrition has far-reaching consequences, impacting families and the nation’s overall development in both the short and long term.

Within Malian households, closely spaced pregnancies are a major contributor to malnutrition in young children and mothers. The larger the family size, the greater the risk of malnutrition.

Exceeding global alert thresholds

Acute malnutrition (both moderate and severe) affects 15% of Mali’s population, well above the 10% international alert threshold. Chronic malnutrition strikes 38% of children under five, far surpassing the 20% global warning level set by the World Health Organization. Mali is clearly in urgent need of intervention.

Additionally, over 80% of children under five and 65% of women in Mali suffer from iron deficiency, one of the highest rates worldwide. This is particularly concerning because iron deficiency severely impairs children’s intellectual development and learning capacity. For mothers, iron deficiency can have direct consequences on their babies, even before birth. Anemic women are more likely to give birth to malnourished children.

With 40% of Mali’s population affected, malnutrition is undeniably a major public health crisis.

Key challenges and solutions

To combat malnutrition, the Malian government has implemented a clear nutrition policy aimed at improving prevention and care. “This strategy includes a dedicated action plan to mobilize funding and strengthen the sector,” explains a nutrition specialist at UNICEF Mali.

The country has also adopted universal salt iodization to combat iodine deficiency disorders. Currently, 79% of Malian households have access to iodized salt, though this still falls short of the 90% target.

Since 2005, Mali has conducted biannual intensified nutrition activities (SIAN) across 95% of the country. These campaigns, targeting children aged 6 to 59 months, have become a cornerstone of community health practices. During SIAN, the government and humanitarian organizations, including UNICEF, promote vitamin A supplementation and deworming tablets to prevent diseases.

These coordinated efforts—led by the Malian government, UNICEF, and NGOs—have significantly reduced child mortality rates in the country.

UNICEF’s community-based approach focuses on education, early detection, and rapid intervention. By training communities to recognize malnutrition symptoms and respond quickly, the organization helps save lives. “To maximize impact, we integrate malnutrition screening into routine health services,” says Médiatrice Kiburente Touré. “We also emphasize the importance of clean water and addressing the root causes of malnutrition.”

In 2010, only 50% of severely malnourished children received treatment. Today, coverage is steadily improving.