• Sindh govt taking steps to address malnutrition, stunting in province, says Murad
• US provides 486 tonnes of lifesaving nutrition for 29,000 malnourished children in Pakistan

KARACHI: Infant and young child feeding practices in Sindh are suboptimal as around 98 per cent of children under two years of age in the province are not receiving the minimum acceptable diets required for growth and development, shared Unicef representative Abdullah A. Fadil on Monday.

He said that the rates of early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding were only 48pc and 52.3pc, respectively.

“Minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diets for children aged 6-23 months are a mere 12.6pc and 2.2pc, indicating that around 98pc of children in this age group in Sindh are not receiving the recommended minimum acceptable diets for the growth and development of a child,” he shared.

He was speaking at a programme held at a Port Qasim warehouse, where the US ambassador handed over 486 metric tons of life-saving nutrition aid to Unicef in the presence of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

According to officials, the Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Food (RUTF) — a nutrient-rich paste made from peanuts, sugar, milk powder, oil, vitamins, and minerals —will benefit over 29,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the flood-affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Speaking at the ceremony, US Ambassador Donald Blome said the donation underscored the US government’s dedication to alleviating malnutrition and its long-term impacts.

“Today’s handover is a powerful testament to the United States’ enduring commitment to the Pakistani people, to Pakistani women and children, and to vulnerable communities,” he said, emphasising the need for acting fast to tackle the health crisis and saving “the lives of an entire generation of Pakistani children”.

The ambassador commended front-line health care workers, women’s and maternal health care providers, social service providers and volunteers, and expressed appreciation to the provincial health minister, health department, Unicef and other partners for their work.

Speaking on the occasion, the Sindh CM reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to address malnutrition and stunting in the province, while acknowledging the role of international partners in combating the challenges exacerbated by the devastating floods of 2022.

“Unicef has been instrumental in supporting the review and approval of the breastfeeding act, enhancing humanitarian and multisectoral coordination and providing vital nutrition services in hard-to-reach areas,” he said

The agency along with other partners had also facilitated early detection and treatment of wasting (acute malnutrition) and addressed micronutrient deficiencies, he added.

The chief minister also highlighted USAID’s extensive support, particularly its provision of financial assistance to Unicef for integrated health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and protection services.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho informed the audience about the initiatives being taken in the province for advancing the nutrition agenda through the enactment of the breastfeeding act, allocation of public funds for RUTF and multiple micronutrient supplements.

“The government has expanded nutrition services for malnourished children to all districts, underlining its dedication to integrating these services within the primary healthcare system,” she said.

Speaking about Sindh’s challenges with respect to children’s health, Unicef representative Abdullah A. Fadil stated that infant and young child feeding practices in Sindh were suboptimal.

During the ceremony, speakers highlighted Sindh government’s key initiatives which included allocation of Rs5.9 billion for multisectoral nutrition interventions for 2024-2025, establishment of a multisectoral coordination platform for early childhood development and nutrition and launch of the Benazir Nashonuma Programme.

The US support since 2022 was also acknowledged; the country has provided nearly $100 million in aid to Pakistan to address malnutrition, with almost $15m allocated to treat severely malnourished children.

The attendees included Ivana Vuco representing the South and Central Asia Regional Office of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, US Consul General in Karachi Conrad Tribble, USAID Mission Director V. Kate Somvongsiri and Sindh health secretary Rehan Baloch.

The print version of the story originally stated that 98 per cent of infants in Sindh were undernourished. However, at UNICEF’s request, it has been revised to indicate that these children “are not receiving the minimum acceptable diets required for growth and development.”

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2024