Malnutrition could soon affect nearly 6 million people in Haiti: study

Nearly 5.7 million people in violence-wracked Haiti are suffering from malnutrition, and that number could climb to 6 million in the coming months, according to a report released Friday by a UN-backed food security initiative.

Those roughly 5.7 million people – more than half of the impoverished Caribbean country's population – are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, defined by gaps in food consumption and the need to deplete "livelihood assets" such as livestock to acquire that food, the report said.

The report was released by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which prepares indexes measuring hunger and malnutrition around the world.

Nearly 1.9 million are facing "emergency" acute food insecurity, characterized by the IPC as high rates of malnutrition.

These figures are similar to those released in April, with one glimmer of hope: the 8,400 Haitians deemed to be at IPC Phase 5 – catastrophic level, equal to famine -- have been recategorized due to an increase in humanitarian aid to camps for displaced persons.

But the report predicted a "deterioration" in the situation in the coming months, with 5.91 million people expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity.

Haiti has been ravaged by violent criminal gangs that commit murders, rapes, looting, and kidnappings against a backdrop of chronic political instability. 

The situation has sharply deteriorated since the start of 2024, when gangs forced then prime minister Ariel Henry to step down. 

The country, which has not held elections since 2016, is now run by a transitional presidential council.