Preliminary figures from the Smart 2026 National Nutrition Survey reveal that roughly one child out of every thirteen between six months and five years old in Haiti is currently experiencing acute malnutrition. The prevalence has climbed to 7.4% in 2026, up from 5.1% recorded three years earlier.
Underlying drivers of the surge
The increase unfolds against a backdrop of prolonged insecurity, stagnant economic conditions and persistent humanitarian gaps. Families report limited access to nutritious foods, essential health services and dedicated nutrition programmes, factors that collectively exacerbate the vulnerability of young children.
Yannig Dussart, UNICEF’s deputy representative in Haiti, highlighted that the deteriorating environment “restricts families’ ability to secure adequate diets and health care for their children.” He stressed that without swift, coordinated interventions, the health outlook for the nation’s youngest citizens could worsen.
Calls for urgent, multi‑sectoral response
UNICEF is urging the government, international partners and civil society to mobilise resources and scale up nutrition‑specific interventions. Priorities include expanding community‑based therapeutic feeding, reinforcing supply chains for fortified foods, and strengthening health‑facility capacity to diagnose and treat acute cases promptly.
The agency also recommends integrating nutrition objectives into broader security and economic recovery plans, ensuring that food security measures are not isolated from efforts to stabilise the country.
Stakeholders are asked to act decisively to guarantee that children receive the vital services needed to prevent the long‑term consequences of severe undernutrition, such as stunted growth, impaired cognitive development and heightened susceptibility to disease.
Source : AlterPresse
AlterPresse
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