DISCLAIMER: Please note that this IPC Acute Malnutrition analysis was integrated with an IPC Acute Food Insecurity analysis.

Over 500,000 children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished through April 2022, of which over 110,000 are likely severely malnourished and require urgent life-saving treatment. Food insecurity is a major contributing factor to the nutrition situation, followed by poor access to sanitation facilities and improved drinking water sources due to drought.

The districts of Ambovombe and Bekily have Critical levels of acute malnutrition (IPC AMN Phase 4), requiring urgent treatment to save the lives of the affected children. Amboasary, Beloha, Betioky, Toliara and Tsihombe have Serious levels of acute malnutrition (IPC AMN Phase 3) and also require action for treatment and prevention.

Population estimates May 2021 - April 2022

Urgent nutrition interventions are required for acutely malnourished children under five, especially those severely malnourished. The health and nutrition system should be strengthened, in order to maintain the quality of primary care services. The coverage of the management of children acutely malnourished as well as of family protection rations should also be strengthened. New strategies for communication, sensitization and distribution of micronutrients and immunization should be identified, to improve nutrition practices in the community. WASH infrastructure should be improved.