Child malnutrition doubles in Haiti, says World Food Programme

Women, children, and displaced families are bearing the brunt of Haiti’s prolonged crisis, which has pushed hunger and malnutrition to alarming new levels, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday following the release of the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis.

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According to the report, a record 5.7 million Haitians—more than half the population—are now facing acute food insecurity, marking a three percent increase from last year. Child malnutrition has doubled in two years, with 14 percent of children under five affected, compared to 7 percent in 2023. Some regions are recording even higher rates.

“WFP has ramped up its response to reach a record 2.2 million Haitians this year,” said WFP Haiti Country Director Wanja Kaaria. “However, needs continue to outpace resources. If this continues, families will potentially fall further into hunger, and we simply don’t have the resources to meet all the growing needs.”

Armed violence, economic decline, persistent inflation, and weak agricultural production continue to drive the crisis. The IPC warns that if current trends persist, more than 5.9 million people could face severe hunger or worse by March 2026. In the North-West and West departments—including Port-au-Prince—malnutrition rates have already reached “Critical” (Phase 4) levels or higher.

Among the most vulnerable are 1.3 million people displaced by armed conflict. Three in four of those sheltering in schools or public buildings are now experiencing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (Phase 4) levels of hunger. Overcrowded shelters and poor sanitation, combined with limited access to nutritious food, have placed babies and young children at extreme risk of malnutrition.

Still, the IPC analysis notes some progress from humanitarian efforts. Expanded food assistance has helped lift around 8,400 displaced people from Catastrophic (IPC Phase 5) to Emergency (Phase 4) levels of hunger, while sustained aid has reduced the number of Haitians facing Emergency-level food insecurity by roughly 200,000 since April.

“These small but significant gains show that when WFP has the resources and works closely with governments and partners, we can turn the tide of hunger,” Kaaria said. “With sustained and predictable support, we can continue to reduce food insecurity while investing in long-term solutions that tackle its root causes.”

Despite those gains, Haiti’s crisis remains critically underfunded. The WFP says it needs an additional US$139 million over the next 12 months to continue supporting the country’s most vulnerable families.