Acute malnutrition remains a major concern in Kenya, especially across the arid and semi-arid regions. Acute malnutrition (AMN) remained stable in the 27 analysed areas in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) between April and July 2025. However, elevated levels have been detected in 15 areas, with 11 areas classified in IPC AMN Phase 4 (Critical), four areas classified in IPC AMN Phase 3 (Serious), seven areas classified in IPC AMN Phase 2 (Alert) and five areas in IPC AMN Phase 1 (Acceptable). In the projection period (August to October 2025), acute malnutrition is expected to deteriorate in eight areas, improve in three areas and remain stable in 15 areas. The number of children aged 6 to 59 months requiring treatment between April 2025 and March 2026 is estimated to be 741,883, which is a slight improvement (2.5 percent reduction) compared to 2024. Food gaps, high disease burden, limited access to health services, limited water and access to sanitation services, and reduced humanitarian funding continue to drive acute malnutrition.

Sustain disease surveillance and response to outbreaks.

• Resource mobilisation to improve nutrition supply pipeline, full implementation of response plan and scale up of IMAM program.
• Restore health and nutrition integrated outreaches and responses, mass screening and hotspot mapping.
• Enhance and invest in Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategies to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF), maternal nutrition, & WASH practices.
• Initiate and scale up community-based approaches to address poor dietary intake among children aged 6 to 23 months.
• Enhance community-based programs to improve coverage or early detection & treatment of acute malnutrition.
• Update the nutrition response plan and county contingency plans.
• Strengthen nutrition situation monitoring, surveillance and early warning systems.
• Advocate for counties to finance data and surveillance activities to allow for comprehensive nutrition situation analysis.
• Strengthen nutrition situation monitoring and surveillance; continue to monitor the effects of scale down on funding for nutrition programming.
• Implementation of multisectoral responses and interventions to address immediate needs with complementary actions to build resilience of communities.