Planning & Development Department Chairman, Javed Aslam has renewed Punjab government's commitment towards improving nutrition status of masses in Punjab with a focus on women and children. He reassured this obligation during the workshop to develop multi-sectoral nutrition policy guidance notes for Punjab in Lahore.
Aslam shared that there is a broad consensus globally on the "Scaling up Nutrition" SUN framework which indicates that first 1000 days of life, from conception to the 24 months of a child's life, determine a child's learning and growth capability. He said, "Adequate nutrition at this stage of life ensures optimum productivity, while malnutrition during this period results in illness, impaired cognitive development, school dropouts and overall loss of annually 2-3 percent of GDP to economy."
Aslam said that there is real evidence that our children are undernourished and multi-sectoral approach to fight menace of malnutrition can produce better results. He asked the workshop participants to come up with viable recommendations, the ones that take into account the lessons learned from similar efforts in the past as the magnitude of problem calls for serious collective efforts.
Secretary Health Punjab, Arif Nadeem shared with the workshop that National Nutrition Survey 2011 has highlighted the fact that malnutrition issue has not been given due priority in past due to multiple reasons. According to provincial nutrition analysis of the National Nutrition Survey, there is 39 percent stunting, 14 percent wasting and 30 percent underweight children under the age of five, while among mothers there are 18 percent underweight, 30 percent overweight and 48 percent suffering from anaemia. These figures reflect the extremely poor nutrition status among women and children of the province.
Arif stressed that it is high time we select the precise tools now to address the malnutrition. He said that economic and productivity loss is huge while addressing this issue of malnutrition in comparison will only cost a fraction only. Punjab Health Department through a presentation shared that integrated nutrition programme for Punjab is in the approval phase, it will specially allocate resources to improve nutritional status of women at pre and early pregnancy stages. It was recommended that food security and co-ordination of different departments at UC level should be made an integral part of nutrition policy note.
Dr Tausif Janjua, Country Director the Micronutrient Initiative in his speech, shared that it is important to understand, that nutrition is not a standalone subject and need to be addressed through multi-sectoral approach. While sharing the objectives of the workshop, he said that this workshop will help to develop common understanding among different departments and stakeholders to identify priority activities for addressing malnutrition. The linkage between policy and strategy will improve integrated nutrition strategy. He ensured full support of MI to the government of Punjab for addressing malnutrition.
Farasat Iqbal, Programme Director Punjab Health Sector Reform Programme informed that an inter-sectoral co-ordination committee has been formed under the umbrella of Planning & Development Department Punjab that will assist Punjab government in developing multi-sectoral policy note for addressing malnutrition.
Ali Tahir Secretary P & D Department Punjab ensured that legal framework will be strengthened to ensure compulsory salt iodization and wheat flour fortification with iron. He also endorsed the commitment of Punjab Government for formulation of policy based on the recommendation of this workshop. Muhammad Ayub, Senior Chief Nutrition Planning Commission said that provincial autonomy after 18th Amendment has given provinces a big opportunity and Balochistan and Sindh have already started work on their nutrition strategies.