Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has called for the establishment of dedicated task forces in all provinces to address anemia and child stunting on an urgent basis, stressing that Pakistan must translate its knowledge of development challenges into effective action and measurable results.
Addressing the launch of the National Anemia Reduction Plan for Women, Adolescent Girls and Children (2025–2030) , the minister said that identifying problems was not enough; the real test of governance lay in implementing solutions that improved people's lives. He emphasized that anemia and stunting required sustained political commitment, coordinated national action and effective implementation at the provincial and local levels.
“Pakistan's future depends on the health, education and quality of life of its people. Investing in the health and development of women, girls and children is essential for building our human capital and achieving sustainable economic growth,” he said.
The minister stressed that provinces must expand social-sector programmes and devolve greater administrative and financial authority to district and local governments to ensure effective service delivery. He said highly centralized systems could not adequately address grassroots challenges unless decision-making, monitoring and accountability were brought closer to communities.
Highlighting the importance of early childhood development, Professor Ahsan Iqbal said that the first five years of a child's life were critical for physical, cognitive and emotional development. The children growing up today would shape Pakistan in 2047, making investment in their nutrition, health, learning and well-being a national development priority.
The minister appreciated the comprehensive, evidence-based approach of the National Anemia Reduction Plan, noting that anemia was not merely a medical concern but a major human capital and economic development challenge. He called for coordinated action across health, nutrition, education, social protection, food systems, and water, sanitation and hygiene to address its underlying causes.
Ahsan Iqbal further highlighted the plan's target of reducing anemia among women and adolescent girls by 50 percent by 2030. She emphasized the need to strengthen maternal nutrition, expand iron and folic acid supplementation, improve screening and treatment, ensure reliable supplies of essential commodities, and establish robust data and accountability systems. She stressed that provincial ownership, predictable financing and stronger frontline services would be critical to successful implementation.
Jennifer Melton, Deputy Country Representative of UNICEF, commended the Government of Pakistan, provincial governments, academia and development partners for advancing the national initiative. She noted that anemia affected approximately two in five women of reproductive age and more than half of adolescent girls and young children, undermining health, education, productivity and economic growth. She emphasized that effective action required coordinated interventions across multiple sectors, stronger health systems and reliable monitoring, particularly to reach vulnerable and underserved communities. She reaffirmed UNICEF's commitment to supporting the government's implementation efforts.
Dr. Ellen Thom, WHO Country Representative, congratulated the government and its partners on the launch, highlighting the serious implications of anemia for maternal health. She noted that anemia was a major contributing factor to postpartum hemorrhage, a significant cause of maternal deaths in Pakistan. She emphasized that the national plan would support global targets for reducing anemia among women of reproductive age and reaffirmed WHO's commitment to supporting evidence-based interventions and adapting global best practices to Pakistan's needs.
The speakers underscored the importance of sustained investment, multisectoral coordination and shared accountability to translate the National Anemia Reduction Plan into measurable improvements in the health and well-being of women, adolescent girls and children across Pakistan.
