Health minister stresses need to expand nutrition programme to other districts

Faiz Kakar says severe nutritional challenges require prudent measures

QUETTA: Interim Minister for Health Faiz Kakar has said that the working parameters of Balochistan Nutrition Programme need to be extended throughout the province to achieve the standards of Sustainable Development Goals set by the international community.

“There are severe challenges related to the proper nutrition of mothers and children that require prudent measures from the government on emergency grounds,” said the interim health minister while presiding a meeting of Balochistan Nutrition Programme on Friday.



Kakar said, “The programme is currently serving the people of only six districts. The services need to be extended to the other remote areas of Balochistan.”

Balochistan Nutrition Programme head Ali Nasir Bugti said, “Food scarcity is a formidable challenge that multiple under-developing countries are facing throughout the world. The chronic diseases related to it are impediment in the smooth socio-economic development of any country.”

He said, “According to the survey of 2011, nearly 16.1 per cent children are unhealthy and malnourished, 52 per cent are dwarfs and 40 per cent are underweight due to several medical conditions related to poor nutrition.”