ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to formulate a comprehensive roadmap in consultation with the provinces based on timeline to address the issue of stunting growth and present it to the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
While chairing the first meeting of the Pakistan National Nutrition Coordination Council on Monday, the premier asked the Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation to prepare a roadmap based on time-line in consultation with the provinces to present it before the CCI.
A National Nutrition Council has been established to make more effective, coordination between the provinces and the federal government to deal with the problem of stunting by implementing a comprehensive strategy.
The nutrition council would consist of eight federal ministers, chief secretaries of the provinces, and experts to implement a coordinated programme against stunting.
The prime minister added that the federal government would continue to strive to address the issue of stunted growth. The meeting was informed that under the Ehsaas Programme, in nine districts as many as 35 Ehsaas growth centres had been established where mothers and newborn children's food requirements were being met.
The meeting further told that although the planning was made in the last 10 years to meet the nutrition requirements of women and children but was not implemented effectively. Consequently, 40 percent of the children are victims of stunted growth; the meeting was informed that in Sindh, this percentage was 50 percent.
The prime minister in his first address highlighted the issue of malnutrition and since then, according to the Prime Minister's Office, efforts are underway to address stunting.
The recently launched Ehsaas Nashonuma is a conditional cash transfer programme aimed at tackling stunting among children under two years of age, along with pregnant and lactating mothers.
The meeting was informed although primary responsibility with regard to stunting is of provinces but the federal government would make effective coordination, develop database, share information and initiate special projects with regard to stunting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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