Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar has said that there is need of legislation and campaign for creating awareness among the people about nutrition and malnutrition at national level. This was told by Saira Afzal Tarar to the National Assembly standing committee on health services, regulations and coordination here on Thursday. The committee met with Khalid Hussain Magsi in the chair and the issues related to nutrition and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) were discussed in the meeting.
The minister said that the trend of breastfeeding is decreasing day by day. She said that food insecurity, micronutrient malnutrition, inadequate access to clean water, poverty and poor women's education etc are major factors which are causes of malnutrition. She said that the health ministry has been devolved to the provinces under 18th Constitutional Amendment. She said although regulatory body exists in the capital, issue of health care is prime responsibility of the provinces. She said that her ministry would take recommendations of the provinces for legislations. She said that the provinces have to legislate for the healthcare of mother and child.
The members of the committee expressed serious concern over health situation of mother and child and said that many programs are launched with the help of donor agencies for this purpose but its trickledown is not seen at grass roots level. The Minister said that the donor agencies are not giving any cash amount to the ministry. She said that donor agencies are providing equipments and medicine for the projects. The committee also discussed the issues of PMDC and recommended that Management Committee should resolve it within the period of 120 days of the ordinance which has been promulgated. The committee also recommended a draft of legislation in this period to establish a body for PMDC.
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