Nutrition Week: 803 nutrition centres set up across Punjab

Women and children will get free treatment during the week.

LAHORE: Under the special campaign launched, at least 803 nutrition centres have been set up to provide free treatment to women and children in the province, said Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir.

He was speaking to the people during his visit to Shahdara Town on Monday. The drive is part of the Nutrition Week being observed between April 10 and 15 organised by the Integrated Reproductive Mother, Newborn Child Health and Nutrition Programme (IRMNCH-N) in collaboration with the UNICEF.

Around three million children in Punjab will be provided free medicines, said the minister, adding 48% women are suffering from anaemia and one child out of six is malnourished in the province.

“During the campaign, our lady health workers and other staff members will visit each house in low income areas and will create awareness among pregnant women,” he said. He added that during their visits, the lady health workers would also provide folic acid tablets and zinc tablets to the anaemic women and sachet of ready-to-use food to the malnourished children free of charge.

The provincial government is taking steps to overcome the issue of malnutrition among pregnant women and the aim is to protect children from stunting growth, said the minister.

The minister said that Punjab government has included Rota Virus vaccine in the EPI programme to prevent the children from diarrhoea. Later, he also visited Govt Shahdra Town Hospital where he  inspected the cleanliness condition and inquired about the health facilities from the patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2017.