More than one million Haitian children face severe food shortage: UNICEF warns

More than one million children in Haiti are facing severe food insecurity, UNICEF warned on Thursday, adding that the situation could deteriorate dramatically due to violence, forced displacement and limited humanitarian access.

“We are confronting a scenario where parents are no longer able to provide care and food for their children,” said Gita Narayan, UNICEF’s representative in Haiti, citing ongoing violence, extreme poverty and a deep economic crisis in the country.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) data, a total of 2.85 million children – approximately one quarter of the country’s underage population – are experiencing high levels of food insecurity.

UNICEF emphasised that gang violence is restricting children’s access to food in many areas of the country, while the collapse of health services is exacerbating the risk of malnutrition and infectious diseases.

In the capital Port-au-Prince, fewer than half of health facilities remain fully operational, with two of the three largest public hospitals non-functional.

The UN agency warned that its Humanitarian Action for Children plan faces a 70% funding deficit, significantly limiting its response capacity.

Since the beginning of the year, UNICEF and its partners have managed to provide care to 4,600 children with acute malnutrition – just 3.6% of the estimated 129,000 children who will need life-saving support throughout 2024.

(information from amna.gr)