Nutrition week starts to comate stunted grown
Minister inaugurates nutrition and breastfeeding awareness drive in slum area
Yasmin Rashid. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The province-wide nutrition week, which is also considered the largest campaign-cum survey in the history of the country, kicked off on Monday.
Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated the nutrition and breastfeeding awareness drive at a slum area of the city and fed doses of vitamins to a number of children.
Under the Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Programme (IRMNCH & NP), teams will reach more than 10 million children and one million pregnant women in the door-to-door drive. "It is not just an awareness drive, but data on malnutrition in Punjab will also be collected," said Dr Rashid while talking to the media. She directed officials to work with a missionary zeal to achieve the target of a healthy Pakistan. "Stunting is the mother of all diseases," she added.
"During the week, teams will collect details of malnourished children. If a child is found stunted, he will immediately be referred to a special doctor who would check him. The child will also be provided free of charge multi minerals," she shared.
The minister highlighted the importance of breastfeeding. "As a doctor, let me make it clear that nothing is suitable for an infant than his or her mother's own milk. The child should not be fed water till the age of six months," she advised.
IRMNCH & NP Project Director Dr Syed Mukhtar Hussain Shah and DG Health Dr Munir Ahmed briefed the minister about the features of nutrition week. He said that during the awareness drive, 2.8 million children under the age of two would be fed vitamins. Moreover, the sachet of multi-minerals would be provided to minors and iron and folic acid tablets to the pregnant women free of charge, said Dr Shah.
The minister expressed her satisfaction over the arrangements made by the health department and directed officials to implement the plan. "The World Health Assembly has endorsed global targets and is committed to reducing stunting by 40% in children, under the age of five, between 2010 and 2025. Therefore, we must look forward to achieving the goals set by the international community."
On the other hand, lady health workers (LHWs) had some reservations over the drive. According to them, doctors are not part of the teams to prescribe medicines which is one of the biggest drawbacks of the campaign. LHWs Punjab President Rukhsana Anwar said that due to this poor management in nutrition campaign and workload on LHWs they will protest against the health department soon.
The province-wide nutrition week, which is also considered the largest campaign-cum survey in the history of the country, kicked off on Monday.
Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated the nutrition and breastfeeding awareness drive at a slum area of the city and fed doses of vitamins to a number of children.
Under the Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Programme (IRMNCH & NP), teams will reach more than 10 million children and one million pregnant women in the door-to-door drive. "It is not just an awareness drive, but data on malnutrition in Punjab will also be collected," said Dr Rashid while talking to the media. She directed officials to work with a missionary zeal to achieve the target of a healthy Pakistan. "Stunting is the mother of all diseases," she added.
"During the week, teams will collect details of malnourished children. If a child is found stunted, he will immediately be referred to a special doctor who would check him. The child will also be provided free of charge multi minerals," she shared.
The minister highlighted the importance of breastfeeding. "As a doctor, let me make it clear that nothing is suitable for an infant than his or her mother's own milk. The child should not be fed water till the age of six months," she advised.
IRMNCH & NP Project Director Dr Syed Mukhtar Hussain Shah and DG Health Dr Munir Ahmed briefed the minister about the features of nutrition week. He said that during the awareness drive, 2.8 million children under the age of two would be fed vitamins. Moreover, the sachet of multi-minerals would be provided to minors and iron and folic acid tablets to the pregnant women free of charge, said Dr Shah.
The minister expressed her satisfaction over the arrangements made by the health department and directed officials to implement the plan. "The World Health Assembly has endorsed global targets and is committed to reducing stunting by 40% in children, under the age of five, between 2010 and 2025. Therefore, we must look forward to achieving the goals set by the international community."
On the other hand, lady health workers (LHWs) had some reservations over the drive. According to them, doctors are not part of the teams to prescribe medicines which is one of the biggest drawbacks of the campaign. LHWs Punjab President Rukhsana Anwar said that due to this poor management in nutrition campaign and workload on LHWs they will protest against the health department soon.