Medellín’s city government announces the lowest levels of childhood malnutrition on record, driven by the comprehensive Buen Comienzo programme and enhanced social and medical support for young children and pregnant women.
Medellín’s city government says childhood malnutrition has fallen to its lowest level on record, as the administration expands food support and medical follow-up for young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Officials said the results reflect a wider public health push led through the Buen Comienzo programme, which has become the main vehicle for nutritional care in early childhood across the city.
According to the city administration, more than one million food supports were delivered between 2024 and 2026 through a mix of institutional meals, family food packages and seasonal assistance. Officials said the rate of acute malnutrition has held at between 0.4% and 0.5%, a level they described as unprecedented. The city also said the share of children with growth delays had fallen to 8.4% by August 2026, exceeding its own target.
The programme’s approach goes beyond food distribution. In August 2024, Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, first lady Margarita Gómez Marín and Buen Comienzo director Diana Carmona presented “Nutrir para Sanar, Sanar para Crecer”, a scheme built into the Medellín Te Quiere 2024-2027 development plan. The city said the initiative combines nutritional screening, psychological support and social outreach, with a particular focus on pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as children from gestation to age five. By mid-2025, more than 10,000 people had been assessed under the programme.
City figures also indicate that more than 100,000 children had benefited from nutritional support by January 2025, alongside the broader Buen Comienzo 365 strategy launched that year. The administration says the combined effort is designed to detect risk early and channel children quickly into specialised care. Officials added that no deaths of children under five linked to malnutrition have been reported during the current administration, although such claims are based on the city’s own reporting and have not been independently verified in the material provided.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
