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  • Publication | 2024

Kenya: Acute Malnutrition Situation October 2023 - February 2024 and projection for March - June 2024

Global Food and Nutrition Security

The overall nutrition situation has improved. There are about 847,000 children under five facing acute malnutrition which is a reduction of about 14.5 percent compared to 2023 SRA. This improvement can be attributed to the improving food security situation, nutrition, and health interventions. However, acute malnutrition remains prevalent in arid counties due to the cumulative net effect of the failed previous seasons and poor infant feeding practices, among other factors.

The nutrition situation is expected to continue improving albeit within the same IPC AMN classification phases. The major contributing factors for acute malnutrition include high morbidity, poor childcare and inadequate feeding practices, poor WASH practices, sub optimal coverage of multisectoral interventions and multiple recurrent shocks which slow down the positive effects of the 2023 rainy seasons.

Over the projection period (March to June 2024), the prevalence of acute malnutrition is expected to improve despite most of the counties remaining within the same IPC AMN phases, except for Saku in Marsabit County which is expected to improve from IPC AMN Phase 3 (Serious) to IPC AMN Phase 2 (Alert).