Senator Kakar urges all quarters to address malnutrition in Balochistan

Nutrition programme head Bugti says pregnant women should eat calcium, vitamin-rich food

QUETTA: Senator Usman Kakar has urged the federal and provincial governments to play their due role in controlling malnutrition in Balochistan, saying the provincial nutrition programme must be expanded throughout the province.

“The provincial nutrition programme is limited to only seven districts of the province while the deaths of mothers and children and maternal complexities continue in the rest of the other districts,” said the senator while addressing a one-day seminar held to discuss mother and child mortality in Balochistan on Tuesday.



The former parliamentary committee members and political parties’ representatives and members of international donor agencies were in attendance.

Kakar lauded the contribution of international donors in revamping the health and food plight in Balochistan and said, “UNICEF, WHO, World Food Programme and Australian Aid are carrying out their responsibilities in eradicating food insecurity in the province but the government and health department should also understand their duties.”

Secretary Health Saleh Nasir said, “The provincial government commenced the nutrition programme to halt the growing number of deaths of mother and children during maternity in Balochistan. Though the programme is limited to seven districts, with available resources it will be expanded to other districts as well.”



Balochistan Nutrition Programme head Ali Nasir Bugti said, “Pakistan has a high ratio of deaths due to malnutrition and Balochistan is among the top areas where the number of deaths of mother and children are more than in other provinces.”

He said, “Pregnant women should eat calcium and vitamin-rich food. We have to launch awareness campaigns in the rest of Balochistan in this regard.”