ISLAMABAD Dec 20 (TNS): Parliamentarians pledge for additional budgetary allocations and legislative support to overcome malnutrition during Global Nutrition Launch in Pakistan by SUN Secretariat Ministry of Planning Development and Reform with support from United Nation World Food Program.
Opening the launch, Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Khan Director Benazir Income Support Program said “The Global Nutrition Report 2017 calls for aggressive but sustainable response at scale, we all need to work together and share responsibilities”.
Ms. Katrien Ghoos Acting Country Director World Food Program said the global nutrition report shows how investing in nutrition will support achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals, not just the nutrition related ones. She added that both short term and long term solutions are critical and must be implemented at scale and for the right duration to have long lasting impact on nutrition indicators in Pakistan. WFP with support from Govt of Sindh, Agha Khan University and USAID, released the results of an innovative approach to reduce the risk of stunting in the short term. The solution was implemented though the primary health care system and consisted of adding a locally produced specialized nutritious food to the existing health interventions.
Mr. Aslam Shaheen Chief Nutrition / Focal Point for Pakistan Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement said, nutrition is increasing in the spot light, the SUN Movement include 60 countries committed to tackle the malnutrition and Pakistan is one of them. While presenting the Global Nutrition Report 2017 Mr. Shaheen said, world is suffering from “significant burdens’ of three important forms of malnutrition that include childhood stunting, anemia in women of reproductive age and overweight in adult women, a rising concern as women are disproportionately affected by the global obesity epidemic.
He highlighted the damaging impact of malnutrition on broader global development efforts. He shared, the number of children aged under five who are stunted and wasted may have fallen in many countries but the progress is not rapid enough to meet internationally agreed nutrition targets, including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 2.2 to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030.
He added that no country is on track to meet targets to reduce anaemia among women of reproductive age. Exclusive breastfeeding of infants aged 0–5 months has marginally increased, but progress is too slow and the inexorable rise in the numbers of children and adults who are overweight and obese continues and the probability of meeting the internationally agreed targets to halt the rise in obesity and diabetes by 2025 is less than 1%. While sharing the GNR Pakistan profile he said, the most recent data shows that stunting prevalence has increased slightly since 1992 to 2012 from 43 % to 45 % respectively. However exclusive breastfeeding rates have doubled from 1990 to 2013. He said rising the rates of overweight and obesity with 31 % among women and 25 % among men are of greater concern.
While emphasizing on engaging all relevant sectors he said; health sector has a major role to play for nutrition specific interventions but it is equally important to promote nutrition‐sensitive approaches in other sectors including agriculture, food, water & sanitation, education, poverty alleviation and social protection ensuring that marginalized are not left behind.
Neil Buhne Resident Coordinator for UN said “investing on health and nutrition of young children is one of the best investments a country can make for future prosperity”. He added He shared, the number of children aged under five who are stunted and wasted may have fallen in many countries but the progress is not rapid enough to meet internationally agreed nutrition targets, including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 2.2 to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030.
Syeda Shehla Raza Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly said, Government of Sindh is committed to address malnutrition in the province, in this regard we have allocated additional resources for Accelerated Nutrition Action Plan and expansion of Sindh Nutrition Program.
While talking on the launching Ceremony of Global Nutrition report in Pakistan, Ms. Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani Speaker Balochistan Assembly said malnutrition, whether stemming from undernutrition or overweight and obesity contribute to huge global burden of diseases and death.
Globally, 800 million people are under-nourished, 2 billion overweight or obese and 2 billion are micronutrient deficient out of 7.3 billion population, which is a silent emergency and devastating. The vast majority of the world’s hungry and malnourished live in developing countries. Southern Asia faces the greatest hunger burden, with about 281 million undernourished people.
Ms. Raheela said, Government of Balochistan is cognizant of the issue of malnutrition, therefore we have taken several measures with support from donors and development partners. She urged federal government to increase the financial resources for Balochistan to address the challenges of malnutrition and food insecurity in Balochistan. She said “everyone should have right to good nutrition and everyone should be engaged in achieving it”.
Dr. Baseer Khan Achakzai Director Nutrition Ministry Of National Health Services Regulation and Coordinator acknowledged the SUN Movement that positively contributing in bringing all people together for a cause. He added political awareness of nutrition has grown in Pakistan; leaders speak about nutrition and are willing to contribute towards meaningful impact. He urged all the political leaders must advocate to incorporate it in their party manifestos for the coming elections
He said, The Media has extremely powerful role; it can disseminate correct information on nutrition and can promote positive practices. He added media must disseminate information about various programs and services being offered by the government He acknowledged that the current scenario is encouraging for accelerating the progress but this is not sufficient, he said, we have to stop the onset of malnutrition and make good nutrition a social norm. Launch was attended by large number of government officials, development partners, civil society, academia, and media personnel from all over the Pakistan.
