Malnutrition causes loss to economy

A workshop by SUN and G-B Planning and Development Department discussed economic consequences of malnutrition

A workshop by SUN and G-B Planning and Development Department discussed economic consequences of malnutrition. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

GILGIT:
A workshop by Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) and the Gilgit-Baltistan Planning and Development Department discussed economic consequences of malnutrition as per statistical indicators of National Nutrition Survey 2011.

The workshop was attended by officials of health, population welfare, agriculture, food, livestock, fisheries, education, social protection, women, civil society alliance and the academia of Karakoram International University.

Malnutrition costs Pakistan $7.6b per year, study


Addressing the participants, SUN consultant Dr Nadir Shah said that malnutrition results in about 3% annual loss to national economy which was more than 2% loss caused by energy crisis.

He said it was need of the hour to accelerate the process of intervention by flour fortification which was currently cost effective as one dollar invested earns eight dollars in return, while successful holistic interventions in global practices have shown that one dollar invested earns $16 in return.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2017.
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