ISLAMABAD, Sep 02 (APP):A two-day international conference on malnutrition and stunting commenced here on Wednesday, bringing together policymakers, health experts, economists and development partners to discuss urgent measures to tackle Pakistan’s nutrition issue. The conference is being organised by Dawn Media Group under its ACT For Nutrition campaign, focusing on maternal and child nutrition and exploring practical solutions to address the country’s high levels of malnutrition and stunting. The conference …
Two-day conference on malnutrition begins
ISLAMABAD, Sep 02 (APP):A two-day international conference on malnutrition and stunting commenced here on Wednesday, bringing together policymakers, health experts, economists and development partners to discuss urgent measures to tackle Pakistan’s nutrition issue.
The conference is being organised by Dawn Media Group under its ACT For Nutrition campaign, focusing on maternal and child nutrition and exploring practical solutions to address the country’s high levels of malnutrition and stunting.
The conference is being held to confront Pakistan’s nutrition crisis, with more than 40 per cent of children under five suffering from stunting, while the maternal mortality rate stands at 155 deaths per 100,000 live births. Malnutrition is estimated to cost Pakistan more than $17 billion annually.
The two-day conference is examining the interconnected causes of malnutrition, including poverty, maternal nutrition, child feeding practices, governance, financing, climate vulnerability and chronic underinvestment.
The event brings together global humanitarian leaders, international institutions, economists, clinicians, lawyers, frontline organisations and provincial governments to identify practical and measurable solutions to the nutrition crisis.
Addressing the conference, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal congratulated Dawn Media Group for organising the event and said investment in human beings was more important than infrastructure development.
“We talk about development, and development is essential, but spending on human beings is the most important,” he said, adding that people themselves were the source of development for any country.
The minister said building roads and infrastructure was easier, while investing in human resources was more difficult. He thanked organizer for focusing attention on important social issues.
He termed population growth and the resulting nutritional challenges an important national issue.
He said the first five years of a child’s life were crucial for mental development and determined the child’s future.
The minister said Pakistan had planned to move forward in the technology sector through the Uraan Pakistan programme, but stressed that no development was possible without human development.
The conference also featured Dawn CEO Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, while WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the gathering through a video message. World Bank Lead Nutrition Specialist Abigail Perry and UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Pernille Ironside were among the other speakers.
