A relentless series of crises has trapped the most vulnerable Haitians in a cycle of growing desperation, without access to food, fuel, markets, jobs and public services, warns the United Nations Food and Agriculture (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP).

No less than 19,000 people in Cité Soleil have reached phase 5 (famine), the highest level of the Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC 5) scale.

"This is the first time in Haiti that there are people classified in phase five, the highest classification on food security," said Jean-Martin Bauer, WFP Director for Haiti, adding "This means that these people probably only have one meal a day and it doesn't have the protein or any other essential nutrient these people need to survive."

IPC Phase 5: Famine / Humanitarian Crisis

Severe social disruption with complete lack of access to food and/or other basic needs in which widespread starvation, death and displacement are indisputable.

Cité Soleil has experienced a worrying rise in food insecurity over the past three years. Currently, 65% of its population, especially the poorest, are in high levels of food insecurity, of which 5% are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

To this drama is added cholera since October 2, 2022, two deadly threats that put the lives of children in danger, underlines Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative in Haiti, explaining "For children who are already weakened by the lack of nutritious food, catching cholera and suffering its effects, including diarrhea and vomiting, is close to a death sentence [...]"

In Cité Soleil, 8,000 children under five are at risk due to the combined risk of acute malnutrition and cholera. Acutely malnourished children have weakened immune systems and are three times more likely to die from cholera.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37883-haiti-flash-250-increase-in-suspected-cholera-cases-in-72-hours-3-departments-affected.html

SL/ HaitiLibre