The United Nations (UN) has called attention to the growing Haitian population, a record 5.7 million people, who are projected to experience acute food insecurity through June. Of this number, which is more than half of Haiti’s population, over two million are projected to face emergency-level hunger. Around 8,400 are going to face catastrophic food insecurity, where people face severe acute malnutrition and risk of death.
Heavily armed gangs, especially in the capital Port-au-Prince, are preventing people from venturing out of their homes to buy food. UN spokesman Stéphanie Dujarric states, “This is one of the highest proportions of acutely food insecure people in any crisis around the world.” Some of the 2 million people hit by hunger do not live in places near gang violence, surprising many health organizations. Double-digit inflation has limited what many Haitians can now afford, with food accounting for 70% of total household expenditures. The cost of a food basket has increased more than 11% in the past year, with inflation hitting 30% in July. Some parts of Haiti are still struggling to recover from the August 2021 earthquake, various drought episodes, and Hurricane Matthew, a category 4 storm in 2016.
While the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners have dramatically increased their operations, reaching more than 1.3 million people, the needs are still outpacing WFP resources. The program needs $53.7 million to continue its life-saving operations over the next six months. The WFP calls on the international community to provide support and help implement peace within the country. It secured unprecedented access to areas controlled by gangs, delivering lifesaving food to many hard-to-reach communities.
While the food insecurity in Haiti rises, so does its public health emergency. Less than half of the health facilities in the capital city are fully operational and two out of three major public hospitals are out of commission. UNICEF states the impact on children is severe with healthcare and lifesaving treatments becoming more and more inaccessible, allowing for malnutrition and preventable disease to thrive in children. The UN agency has treated over 4,600 children with severe acute malnutrition in 2025, but this represents 4% of the 129,000 children projected to need life-saving treatment this year. Funding issues are stressing humanitarian response, with childhood nutrition programs facing a critical 70% funding gap.
By Anisha Parmar