Nearly one in thirteen children under five suffer from acute malnutrition in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE/NEW YORK, 28 August 2026 - Approximately one in thirteen children in Haiti aged between 6 months and 5 years old are suffering from acute malnutrition, according to the preliminary findings by the 2026 National Nutrition SMART Survey released today.

The prevalence of global acute malnutrition in children in Haiti aged 6 to 59 months, defined as moderate or severe wasting or nutritional swelling, has increased from 5.1 per cent to 7.4 per cent from 2023 to 2026.

"The findings emerge against a backdrop of prolonged insecurity, economic hardship and humanitarian needs that continue to constrain families' access to sufficient nutritious food, health care and nutrition services," said UNICEF Deputy Representative in Haiti, Yannig Dussart. "Preventing and treating malnutrition in Haiti requires urgent action and attention by stakeholders and actors to ensure children can access the lifesaving services they need."

Acute malnutrition, which occurs when children do not receive enough nutritious food or suffer from repeated illness, can rapidly become life-threatening without timely treatment. Children affected by severe acute malnutrition are at high risk of death, particularly when combined with illness and limited access to medical care.

Between 2023 and 2025, grave violations against children, which include denial of access to humanitarian support and attacks on schools and hospitals where children receive nutritional services, have tripled.

Despite these worsening trends in acute malnutrition, the survey shows progress in other indicators. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition, or stunting, among children under five declined from 22.8 per cent in 2023 to 17.3 per cent in 2026. Early initiation of breastfeeding increased from 48 per cent in 2023 to 68.0 per cent in 2026, while exclusive breastfeeding rose from 17.5 per cent to 33.0 per cent.

UNICEF and its partners are working with the Ministry of Public Health and Population to scale up the screening and treatment of malnourished children, including through community health workers and mobile teams operating in hard-to-reach and insecure areas. A fuller analysis of the survey results, combined with an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification for Acute Malnutrition (IPC-AMN), is expected in the coming month and will guide the humanitarian and development response.

As humanitarian needs continue to worsen in Haiti, UNICEF is urgently calling for increased support to address a funding gap of more than 64 per cent for nutrition interventions under its 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal. Sustained investment is critical to prevent, detect, and treat acute malnutrition, maintain the supply of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), and expand access to essential nutrition services for vulnerable children and women. With adequate resources, UNICEF and its partners can save lives, protect children from the devastating consequences of malnutrition, and ensure that those most at risk receive the care and support they urgently need.

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Note to editors:

The SMART Survey 2026 provides a population-based assessment of the nutritional status of children aged 0-59 months and women aged 15-49 years living within areas of Haiti in July 2026. The survey assessed important factors related to child and maternal nutrition, including childhood illness, infant and young child feeding practices, measles and rubella vaccination coverage, vitamin A supplementation, deworming and care-seeking behavior.

The SMART survey is a standardized methodology for measuring nutritional status, providing humanitarian agencies with reliable data to guide the response. The findings are specific to the survey period and do not provide information about nutritional conditions before or after the survey period, nor do they serve as a nationally representative statistic for international comparison

This national survey was conducted by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), through the Coordination Unit of the National Food and Nutrition Programme (UCPNaNu), with technical and financial support from UNICEF, made possible by the support of the Governments of the United States and of Canada and of German Committee for UNICEF.