Efforts against hyper malnutrition urged

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday stressed collective efforts to tackle the confronted challenge of what he called ‘hyper malnutrition’, affecting the physical and mental health of children.

“After last year’s floods; the challenge of malnutrition is no longer malnutrition but it has become the challenge of hyper malnutrition as the flood-calamity hit the poorest of the poor,” the minister was addressing the launching ceremony of the National Multisectoral Nutrition Programme to reduce stunting and other forms of malnutrition.

He said the federal government had launched this initiative which would be implemented in collaboration with all stakeholders including provinces, donors and active community.

Terming the nutrition-related issues ‘alarming’, the minister said “Today is the age of knowledge revolution which requires creativity and innovation driven by cognitive skills. And it all depends on children's nutritional health.”

Sharing some statistics, Ahsan Iqbal said around 40 per cent of children were having stunting growth-related issues, 80 per cent faced deficiency of calcium, zinc and iron, 60 per cent with vitamin C and 25 per cent vitamin B, 64 per cent faced insufficient protein problems, 75 Folate-deficiency and 30 per cent were getting excessive fat.

He emphasised addressing the issue of malnutrition as a priority, warning that it could lead to affecting children's physical and mental health.

The minister was of the view to engage professionals on at least a five-year contract to advance the social sector programmes and get rid of typical bureaucratic hurdles.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2023.