The Multi Sectoral Nutrition Center (MSNC) and Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN), Planning and Development Board, Government of the Punjab, in collaboration with UNICEF and Nutrition International hosted an Advocacy Session with Parliamentarians of South Punjab in making “Nutrition A Priority in Political Agenda” of the Government of Punjab.
Widespread malnutrition is a great threat to the development of Pakistan today. We are losing USD 7.6 billion or approximately 3% of GDP annually, due to malnutrition in an already struggling economy. Malnutrition affects half of the children and mothers in Pakistan, resulting in low productivity and low national development. Nutrition indicators on average have shown improvement in Punjab, however, few districts of South Punjab have extremely high levels of stunting, wasting and underweight in under five children and are amongst the worst ranked districts of the country.
Addressing the occasion Federal Minister for National Food Security Mr. Fakhar Imam highlighted the negative effects that malnutrition has on the GDP of the country and the need for industrialization and support of local governments in tackling the issue of malnutrition. He called for nutrition focused government initiatives through the integration of Provincial and Federal Government. He applauded the leadership and commitment of the Planning and Development Board and complimented the efforts of Dr. Sohail Saqlain, Executive Director MSNC, who has worked diligently on prioritizing the agenda of nutrition; a vision that is in line with the agenda of Prime Minister of Pakistan & Chief Minister of Punjab. He said, MSNC will lead the path the Department needs to take – through a multi-sectoral approach and the international best practices.
Parliament is the only forum that can ensure institutionalization of matters of national interest, through legislation and oversight and parliamentarians have a vital role to play in improving nutrition outcomes by acting as opinion leaders and adopting effective laws to implement food fortification, protection and promotion of breastfeeding, child nutrition and maternity protection. The Government of Punjab is committed to developing sustainable solutions and implementing meaningful reforms to achieve health and nutrition related SDGs. Effective implementation of nutrition-specific interventions at all levels, which include support for breastfeeding & complementary feeding, dietary diversification, food safety, food supplementation & fortification of industrially produced staple foods can be simple, efficient, and cost-effective means to combat moderate and severe acute malnutrition.
Keeping in view the above, an advocacy session with parliamentarians of South Punjab was held on at 11:00 am Thursday, 23rd December 2021 at Ramada Hotel Multan.
The session was attended by Parliamentarians, government representatives, and representatives from international development partners, NGOs and INGOs along with the DMAC focal persons. Some of the key participants in the event were MNA Ahmed Hassan Dehar, MNA, Fakhar Imam, Mr. Nadeem Qureshi, MPA, Spokesperson Chief Minister Punjab Dr. Khalid, DG Health South Punjab, Dr. Sohail Saqlain, Executive Director, MSNC, Tariq Mehmood, Additional Secretary Health South Punjab, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Qamar Zaman Qaiserani, Dr. Shafeeq ur Rehman, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Punjab, Ms. Uzma Bukhari, Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Punjab as well as Mubarik Ali Sarwar, CEO AGAHE.
Nadeem Qureshi MPA, Spokesperson Chief Minister Punjab in his address stated that Government of Punjab is committed and on the right track in eradicating malnutrition from the province. He further apprised initiatives such as IRMNCH&NP, MSNC and Punjab Human Capital Investment Project and their role in combating the issue of malnutrition. He assured his assistance and utmost support for any legislative work related to food and nutrition that can eventually help in improving the situation of malnutrition in Punjab. He applauded the efforts of MSNC & SUN, Planning & Development Board as well as international development partners such as UNICEF and Nutrition International for arranging such useful and informative sessions for parliamentarians.
Dr. Sohail Saqlain, Executive Director MSNC, P&D Board said that Multi |Sectoral Nutrition Center (MSNC) and Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Unit, Punjab under the leadership of Planning & Development Board, Punjab is playing a crucial role in sensitizing the masses on the importance of nutrition in tackling the issue of poor maternal and child health as well as in making nutrition a priority in the agenda of the Government of Punjab through the support of development partners like UNICEF& Nutrition International, as well as NGOs like AGAHE and Doaba Foundation. He acknowledged the efforts of Multi Sectoral Nutrition Center (MSNC) in providing the platform in which multiple parliamentarians, relevant Government representatives including the MSNC South Punjab Team, and International Development partners came under one roof to discuss the prioritization of nutrition in the political agenda of the Government of the Punjab. He said, there is a dire need for sensitizing parliamentarians on the issue of malnutrition and the important role that nutrition plays in tackling various public health issues. He said that MSNC is on its way to become a non-development entity (Directorate of Nutrition) and aims to replicate its structure in Central and North Punjab that will help broaden its horizon and further the nutrition agenda in the province. He further accentuated the need for the development of a provincial steering committee in the Punjab Assembly.
In his speech, Mr. Ahmed Hassan Dehar, MNA, stated that the issue of malnutrition must be treated earlier in order to gain favourable outcomes. He elaborated that Natural food should always be preferred other than synthetic items such as Formula Milk. In this regard, there is a need to organize advocacy seminars like these more oftenly. He further ensured his support in drafting the legislation that will help in strengthening the nutrition agenda in the province.
The seminar ended with a vote of thanks by SUN and MSNC, Planning & Development Board, Government of Punjab.
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