Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed the relevant authorities to formulate a comprehensive roadmap to address the issue of stunted growth in Pakistan.
The roadmap will be formed after due consideration with provincial authorities.The decision was taken by the premier during the first meeting of Pakistan National Nutrition Coordination Council in Islamabad.
PM Imran directed Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan and Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar to prepare a timeline-based strategy which would be presented to the Council of Common Interests.
“Federal government will continue to play its role to address the issue of stunted growth,” PM Imran assured. The premier was apprised that planning was done in the past ten years to meet the nutrition requirements of women and children, but it was never effectively implemented.
As a result, today about 40pc of children across the country are victims of stunted growth and in Sindh, this percentage is 50pc, the participants briefed PM Imran.
Earlier in August, the prime minister inaugurated the Ehsaas Nash-o-Numa programme to protect newborn children from stunted growth through the provision of specialized nutritious food to pregnant and lactating mothers and their children under the age of 24 months.
