(MENAFN) The humanitarian situation in Madagascar is worsening, particularly in the Grand Sud and Grand Sud-Est regions, which have been battered by consecutive droughts, cyclones, and other shocks over the past two years, a UN spokesperson said Tuesday.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a daily briefing that the combined effects of the recent El Nino-driven drought, a harsh cyclone season, a malaria outbreak, and overstretched health systems have left many communities with minimal capacity to recover. The comments cited data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"As a result, Madagascar's hunger crisis is intensifying," Haq said. He noted that the number of people facing emergency food insecurity in the Grand Sud region is projected to quadruple to 110,000 by January 2026.

The spokesperson added that severe acute malnutrition cases have surged over the past year in the Grand Sud, now affecting nearly 160,000 children.

Humanitarian response efforts have also been hampered by drastic funding cuts. "Severe funding cuts have crippled humanitarian operations, forcing UN partners, especially in areas of acute humanitarian need, to shut down their activities and leave thousands of people without vital aid," Haq said.

In response, Madagascar’s National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, with support from the United Nations and its partners, has launched a national humanitarian response plan. The initiative seeks nearly 185 million U.S. dollars to tackle food insecurity, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks through April 2026.

Haq highlighted that with a 125-million-dollar shortfall, the United Nations is appealing for 85 million dollars to cover the most urgent needs of 1.5 million people nationwide.

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