ISLAMABAD: Speakers on Friday expressed concerns over the significant impact of malnutrition, noting that it costs Pakistan approximately 3pc of its gross domestic product (GDP).

These apprehensions were shared at a meeting hosted by Secretary of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) Dr Shahida Rehmani. The gathering included representatives from Unicef and the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) to discuss an upcoming consultative session scheduled for the first week of October.

The meeting, held at the WPC headquarters, featured key stakeholders including Anteneh Girma Minas, who is chief of nutrition at Unicef; Dr Saba, ECD Manager, Unicef; Fahmida Khan, gender and development specialist at Unicef and Salahuddin Safdar from Fafen.

Dr Rehmani warmly welcomed the delegates, emphasising the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling Pakistan’s pressing health and nutrition challenges.

Anteneh Girma Minas underscored the urgency of addressing the country’s nutrition development issues, noting that malnutrition alone costs Pakistan approximately 3pc of its GDP. He highlighted the country’s alarming status as the second-highest globally in terms of diabetic patients, stressing the need for targeted interventions.

The meeting’s discussions revolved around key areas such as child-related legislation, family-friendly policies, and gender-related social issues, aiming to drive effective policy changes and improve health outcomes nationwide.

In particular, plans were laid out for a Nutrition Advocacy Dialogue with parliamentarians to promote in-depth discussions and foster meaningful policy advancements.

Fahmida Khan presented Unicef’s comprehensive three-dimensional strategy, which focused on diet, services, and practices, to address the nutrition-related challenges facing the country.

The consultative session, tentatively scheduled for October 4, 5 and 6, would be a joint effort between the WPC and Unicef to address these critical issues. This collaborative initiative represented a significant step forward in promoting health and nutrition reforms in Pakistan, with the goal of fostering impactful policy dialogue and tangible improvements in public health.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024