1 in 4 children in Punjab stunted

Punjab has recorded a decline in the prevalence of stunting among children from 36 per cent in 2018 to 27%, while wasting has dropped from 15% to 10%.

However, the fact that more than one in four children remain stunted keeps infant feeding and maternal nutrition high on the provincial health agenda.

The figures were presented at a seminar organised by UNICEF Pakistan in collaboration with the Punjab health authorities to mark World Breastfeeding Week.

According to figures shared by the provincial authorities, about 52% mothers in Punjab breastfeed their children until the age of two. The government attributed the improvement to sustained interventions aimed at strengthening maternal and child healthcare and addressing nutritional deficiencies.

However, the figures also reveal the scale of the challenge. Despite the decline in stunting and wasting, 27% children remain affected by stunting and 10% by wasting. 

The data indicates that improvements in nutrition outcomes have not eliminated the underlying vulnerabilities affecting a substantial proportion of children.
Primary and Secondary Healthcare Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir said breastfeeding was a fundamental right of every child and should be treated as an essential component of healthcare rather than a personal choice.

He said exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life was crucial for newborn survival, complete nutrition, physical and mental development and strengthening immunity. He added that breastfeeding should continue with nutritionally appropriate complementary foods after six months.

The minister said the Punjab government was implementing a strategy to improve maternal and child health and tackle nutrition-related problems.

More than 2,500 Basic Health Units have reportedly been upgraded to improve maternal and child health services. The government has established 29 ‘Kangaroo mother care’ centres for vulnerable newborns, particularly those requiring specialised supportive care.

In addition, around 3,000 Outpatient Therapeutic Programme sites and 60 nutritional rehabilitation centres have been established across Punjab to address malnutrition and provide treatment and nutritional support to affected children.

The provincial government has also expanded mobile healthcare services. According to officials, 911 Clinics on Wheels are providing services in communities and around 2.6 million children have been screened through the programme since 2024.

Lahore UNICEF Field Office Chief Ramiz Behbudov said on the occasion that stronger support for mothers was required at homes, healthcare facilities and workplaces to ensure that children received the best possible start in life.

He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the Punjab government in maternal and child health and nutrition and stressed the importance of creating an environment in which mothers could initiate and continue breastfeeding.

Senior provincial health officials called for stronger coordination between government departments, sustainable financing and cross-sectoral action to support nursing mothers.

Health experts, including UNICEF representatives Najma Ayub and Muhammad Salman, highlighted the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by appropriate complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.

Participants called for stronger implementation of the Protection of Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Act across Punjab and improvement of practices under the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

Officials and experts stressed that responsibility for improving breastfeeding rates could not rest solely with mothers. Families, healthcare workers, teachers, religious scholars, media, employers and government departments all have a role in creating an environment where breastfeeding can be sustained.

The minister said all hospitals had lactation rooms and community-level programmes were being introduced to guide mothers and improve awareness.