Saving lives: MPs pledge to address malnutrition
Pakistan is one of the toughest places for children to survive, according to 2012-2013 survey.
Member Punjab Assembly Dr Farzana Nazir emphasised on identification of women parliamentarians who could work as nutrition champion. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Parliamentarians from the ruling party vowed to improve nutrition and health indicators in their respective constituencies during a meeting here on Tuesday.
Micronutrient Initiative (MI) - a Canadian international nongovernmental organisation - had organised a session to sensitise parliamentarians about the dismal state of maternal and child health in Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of the toughest places for children to survive. As per Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2012-2013, one in every 14 children dies before reaching the age of one. One in every 11 does not survive till his or her fifth birthday. Child mortality remains 89 per 1,000 live births.
Joel Spicer, MI president and CEO, shared the global scope of malnutrition.
“Lack of access to good nutrition is compounded by gender discrimination that too often relegates women to the bottom rungs of social and economic ladder. In many societies, women and girls eat last and least. If we want to empower, we have to start with addressing malnutrition among women and girls,” Spicer said.
MI Country Director Dr Naseer Nizamani shared situation of malnutrition in Pakistan.
“Six per cent of the world’s chronically malnourished children live in Pakistan. Almost 10 million children suffer from chronic malnutrition (44%), 3.3 million suffer from acute malnutrition (15%), and 1.3 million (6%) are severely malnourished requiring therapeutic care. Up to 60 per cent mothers and children suffer from micro-nutrient deficiencies,” Dr Nizamani said.
Pakistan cannot afford to sustain this drain on the economy, Dr Nizamani said.
Technical Director Dr Tausif Janjua briefed parliamentarians about Food Fortification Programme (FPP).
The goal is to improve nutrition for 106 million people through fortified wheat flour, and 135 million people through fortified edible oil/ghee, he Dr Janjua.
Parliamentary Taskforce on Sustainable Development Goals Chairperson Mariyum Aurangzeb shared that Pakistan was the first and only country that had adopted global development goals as Pakistan development goals.
She ensured government support for enabling legislation to address malnutrition in the country.
Member Punjab Assembly Dr Farzana Nazir emphasised on identification of women parliamentarians who could work as nutrition champion.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2016.
Parliamentarians from the ruling party vowed to improve nutrition and health indicators in their respective constituencies during a meeting here on Tuesday.
Micronutrient Initiative (MI) - a Canadian international nongovernmental organisation - had organised a session to sensitise parliamentarians about the dismal state of maternal and child health in Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of the toughest places for children to survive. As per Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2012-2013, one in every 14 children dies before reaching the age of one. One in every 11 does not survive till his or her fifth birthday. Child mortality remains 89 per 1,000 live births.
Joel Spicer, MI president and CEO, shared the global scope of malnutrition.
“Lack of access to good nutrition is compounded by gender discrimination that too often relegates women to the bottom rungs of social and economic ladder. In many societies, women and girls eat last and least. If we want to empower, we have to start with addressing malnutrition among women and girls,” Spicer said.
MI Country Director Dr Naseer Nizamani shared situation of malnutrition in Pakistan.
“Six per cent of the world’s chronically malnourished children live in Pakistan. Almost 10 million children suffer from chronic malnutrition (44%), 3.3 million suffer from acute malnutrition (15%), and 1.3 million (6%) are severely malnourished requiring therapeutic care. Up to 60 per cent mothers and children suffer from micro-nutrient deficiencies,” Dr Nizamani said.
Pakistan cannot afford to sustain this drain on the economy, Dr Nizamani said.
Technical Director Dr Tausif Janjua briefed parliamentarians about Food Fortification Programme (FPP).
The goal is to improve nutrition for 106 million people through fortified wheat flour, and 135 million people through fortified edible oil/ghee, he Dr Janjua.
Parliamentary Taskforce on Sustainable Development Goals Chairperson Mariyum Aurangzeb shared that Pakistan was the first and only country that had adopted global development goals as Pakistan development goals.
She ensured government support for enabling legislation to address malnutrition in the country.
Member Punjab Assembly Dr Farzana Nazir emphasised on identification of women parliamentarians who could work as nutrition champion.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2016.