UNICEF organises conference on mother, child health

'There is a need to restore non-functional National Infant Feeding Board'

KARACHI: There is a need to restore the non-functional National Infant Feeding Board (NIFB) run under the provincial department, said United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Chief Nutritionist Melanie Galvin.

Galvin said that the Sindh health department plans to initiate a campaign against milk packaging companies. "Lack of breast-feeding is a contributing factor to the increase of breast cancer cases," said Dr Iqbal Memon at a conference 'Mother and Child's Health' organised by UNICEF.

He added that 40 per cent of monthly stipends are spent on packaged milk. He mentioned that poor health of mothers is a leading cause for the widespread malnourishment in the country.



"Malnutrition contributes to the deaths of 170,000 children under the age of five, which in turn causes losses of Rs7 billion to Pakistan's economy," he said. He added that malnutrition remains a major issue in Sindh.

"The allocation of only 1 per cent of the budget to the health department is contributing to a loss of 3 per cent to the gross domestic product, which is nearly Rs7.29 billion. He opined that a better scenario prevails in Punjab.

Galvin, while talking to Express News, said that through joint efforts with international organisations, the provincial government plans to elevate the status of the health department. "Forming the right policy is the need of the hour and UNICEF will render full support for the provision of better health supplements for both mother and child," she said.



Due to the lack of policy, consumption of packaged milk for less than six-month-old infants remains unchecked. Ironically, several NIFB board members, who are also a part of pasteurised milk companies, promote its consumption.

Managers from the Mother Child Nutrition Health Programme and renowned pediatricians labeled breast milk fit for infants and good for the health of feeding mothers.



As per international law, packaged milk should not be fed to infants and toddlers under-three years of age but compliance with the law remains unchecked, while artificial milk manufacturing companies remain unscathed. Around 97 per cent of health experts recommend formula or artificial milk.

According to an estimate, nearly 84 per cent of mothers feed their children formula milk. Even on a federal level there are solutions present to address the issue, but so far, no measures have been taken.