Haiti is confronting a growing child malnutrition emergency, with projections indicating that more than 253,000 children under five could suffer acute malnutrition over the next year as violence, displacement and disrupted essential services place further pressure on vulnerable households.
According to a new UN-backed analysis, 253,725 children aged between six and 59 months are projected to suffer acute malnutrition from June 2026 to May 2027.
Of that number, 93,873 children are projected to suffer severe acute malnutrition, a potentially life-threatening condition requiring urgent treatment, while another 159,852 children are expected to experience moderate acute malnutrition.
The assessment also estimates that 25,750 pregnant and breastfeeding women will require nutritional support during the same period, highlighting the extent to which Haiti’s nutritional crisis extends beyond children and affects mothers and households already struggling to secure basic necessities.
The figures were contained in an assessment published by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and other nutrition partners.
The assessment identifies areas where humanitarian and nutrition assistance will be most urgently required, while warning that deteriorating conditions are likely to increase demand for treatment and place further pressure on health and humanitarian services that are already operating under severe constraints.
As of mid-May 2026, approximately 1.47 million people were internally displaced across Haiti, according to the assessment.
UNICEF Representative to Haiti Geeta Narayan highlighted the human consequences behind the projections.
“Behind these figures are children whose lives can change when they receive the right care at the right time. Now we must use that evidence to reach children earlier, prevent malnutrition and make sure no child is left without the support they need,”
UNICEF Representative to Haiti
The latest projections indicate that without early intervention, the nutritional situation will deteriorate further in some of the country’s most vulnerable communities.
According to reports, the most serious period is expected between December 2026 and May 2027, when the assessment projects that 29 of Haiti’s 140 municipalities will reach IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 3, classified as “serious.”
Two municipalities, Cite Soleil and Cabaret, are projected to reach Phase 4, classified as “critical,” the second-highest level on the IPC acute malnutrition scale.
Violence and Displacement Deepen Haiti’s Nutrition Emergency
The worsening nutritional outlook cannot be separated from the insecurity that continues to disrupt the lives of Haitian families.
With approximately 1.47 million people internally displaced by mid-May 2026, millions of people have been forced to navigate conditions in which access to food, healthcare and other essential services is increasingly uncertain.
The FAO has stressed that addressing the crisis therefore requires more than emergency nutritional treatment.
FAO Representative in Haiti Pierre Vauthier stated that tackling malnutrition also requires action on its underlying causes, including limited access to diverse and nutritious food.
The World Food Programme has similarly called for greater investment across several areas, including prevention, nutrition, healthcare, school meals and assistance for vulnerable households.
WFP Representative to Haiti and Country Director Lauren Landis warned that worsening malnutrition could carry significant social and economic consequences, making prevention as important as treatment.
Against this backdrop, UNICEF, FAO and WFP are calling for urgent action from the Haitian government, donors, civil society and international organisations.
Among the measures being urged are expanded community-based screening and treatment, reliable supplies of therapeutic foods, nutritional support for pregnant and breastfeeding women, improved access to safe water and sanitation, and protection of household food production and livelihoods.
Humanitarian agencies are also calling for safe access to affected communities and flexible funding that can allow organisations to prepare for increased needs rather than responding only after conditions have deteriorated.
The next few months will put Haiti’s authorities and humanitarian partners to the test in terms of breaking the cycle.
With the most severe deterioration expected between December 2026 and May 2027, the most recent evaluation gives a window for governments, donors, and humanitarian organisations to improve prevention, strengthen screening, and secure supplies before the estimated peak.
Without such a coordinated reaction, the predicted statistics risk becoming more than just an estimate of future needs. They could be used to assess how long-term insecurity has resulted in a worsening problem for Haiti’s youngest and most vulnerable population.
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