Govt set to expand nutrition programme

Official says directorates established in province for scaling up nutrition interventions in all areas

ISLAMABAD: The Health Department’s provincial nutrition directorate has planned to expand the Nutrition Project across the province to curtail highest mother and child mortality rates recorded in Balochistan.

Talking to APP, an official on Tuesday said the government has already declared nutrition emergency in the province, realising the mass threat posed to the mothers and infants’ lives in the province.

He said half of the children in Balochistan were showing signs of stunted growth.

The number of exclusive breast feeding and age appropriate complementary feeding were the lowest in Balochistan as compared to the rest of the country, he added.

He said the recent wave of drought had imparted devastating impact on the health and nutrition status of the masses. He said collective and concrete efforts were needed, such as community based intervention, to address acute malnutrition of mothers and children.

The official urged the organisations concerned to extend their support in all the districts of the province in reaching out to the people living in poor condition in far flung areas. He said fight against malnutrition was the top agenda of the government.

"It gives me immense pleasure to announce that children and mothers are availing best possible health nutrition care facilities in seven districts of Balochistan,” he added.

The official said despite all the challenges, the government of Balochistan was committed to addressing malnutrition, particularly among children and mothers in the province on long-term basis.  He said that the Nutrition Programme was raising awareness among the masses on mother and child health status in the province, adding the postpartum women should be encouraged to receive adequate nutrition, which was possible through consumption of a balanced, healthy diet.

He said that nutrition directorates had been established in the province for scaling up nutrition interventions in all areas.

“Provision of Multiple Micro-nutrient Sachets (MMS) is being ensured to address the micro-nutrient deficiency in all children aged six to 23 months,” said the official.

Moreover, the Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) was being provided to severely malnourished mothers and children. The severely malnourished children with complications were being referred to stabilisation centres established at District Headquarters Hospital for treatment and follow-up, he mentioned.

He said the goal for Infant Young Child Feeding (IYCF) strategy was to further improve the nutritional status, growth and development, survival of the infants and young children through providing F-75 and F-100 milk.

“The children under five suffering from diarrhea are also being provided ORS, dietary supplements and zinc to meet deficiencies,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2019.