An international medical humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has raised the alarm over a surge in malnutrition cases in Maiduguri, Borno State, where it treated over 3,265 children between late August and early September 2025.

In a statement issued on Thursday, MSF reported that although admissions have slightly declined in recent weeks, the number of malnourished children under care remains dangerously high.

MSF revealed that the spike in child malnutrition was worsened by a measles outbreak, with over 625 malnourished children also treated for the disease during the same period. The organisation said this compounded pressure on its facilities, forcing it to expand bed capacity and isolate measles patients in overcrowded wards.

The MSF Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at Nilefa Kiji Hospital nearly doubled its bed space to meet demand. By mid-September, the emergency facility was admitting an average of 85 children per day.

The organisation also flagged severe shortages of life-saving medical supplies, particularly therapeutic milk and ready-to-use therapeutic food, both essential for treating severe acute malnutrition.

MSF said that some of its partner facilities could only accept new referrals if MSF provided additional items such as antibiotics, admission kits, and milk formulas.

The malnutrition crisis, MSF noted, has been worsened by a reduction in global humanitarian funding. As a result, several humanitarian partners in Maiduguri have scaled down or withdrawn from nutrition support programmes, creating a major gap in first-line care for malnourished children.

At MSF’s Shuwari extension centre, over 3,265 children were treated, and another 1,521 were referred for further care during the most critical period of the upsurge.

The organisation said access to some communities— such as Zabarmari— remained limited due to security and logistical constraints, making it difficult to reach many of the most vulnerable children in time.

MSF said it was in discussions with the Borno State Ministry of Health to assess and potentially support nearby primary health centres, with the goal of extending care to affected communities.

According to MSF, the surge in malnutrition cases seen in Maiduguri reflects a growing trend across northern Nigeria, with Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi states also reporting increased admissions in nutrition centres in recent months.