Statistics sometimes do not reveal the true picture. For instance, yearly per capita milk consumption in Pakistan is second to Ireland, yet Pakistan has 50 percent stunted children and Ireland has none.
World Bank data on per milk consumption is based on the total quantity of milk produced in the country, divided by total population of the country. Top six countries on per capita yearly consumption of milk are Ireland 124 liters, Pakistan 117 liters, Finland 113 liters, UK 97 liters and Australia 93 liters. Milk is a complete food having all essential ingredients for growth. Children consuming an adequate quantity of milk are always healthy and strong.
Pakistan is the only country among the top six milk consumers, where 50 percent of the children have stunted growth. Stunting is not heard of in the other five countries. This implies that the milk consumption in Pakistan is uneven. Children in the lower strata of society are deprived of pure and healthy milk.
Generally, the milk in Pakistan is adulterated with contaminated water and injurious preservatives. Only eight percent of the milk is processed and packed aseptically, while the rest is marketed in most unhygienic ways.
There is no concept of pasteurisation (that eliminates bacteria from milk for two to three days even if packed in polythene bags). Households buy milk on a daily basis and consume it within 24 hours.
A supply chain of pasteurised milk would ensure healthy and pure milk for consumers. Most of the eight percent processed milk is ultra-heat treated (UHT) and packed in aseptic tetra pack boxes. Its shelf life is three months. Packing however is one of the major costs which is discarded after use. According to the estimates of milk processors, the total milk market in Pakistan is Rs1.4 trillion annually out of which the processors have a share of Rs107 billion. Currently, loose milk is sold without pasteurisation. In Punjab, the provincial government passed the pasteurisation act in 2018.
Under the act actions were proposed to ensure that by June 2022 no milk enters the market in loose form and without pasteurisation. Unfortunately, no actions were taken in the past three and a half years. It seems that the final date of implementation would also pass without any progress in this regard.
The economic planners and the food ministry should ensure availability of pure milk at least to the school children, as it is the main vehicle that could reduce stunting in them. Numerous corporate entities have run school milk programmes for a brief period, but without collecting scientific data about the benefits of their programmes of short durations.
It requires large resources to ensure 250ml of milk to each school going child at least in all government schools. The children going to private schools are from relatively affluent families and their parents can afford nutritious food for them.
The children studying in government schools are very poor and can hardly afford to buy school books and stationery. Their nutritious intake is restricted to staple foods devoid of protein and essential fats. This stunts their growth which also impacts their learning abilities. Most of the nutrition indicators have not improved over the past few decades in Pakistan; rather many indicators have worsened with time.
Vitamin A deficiency affects 54 percent of children, moderate and severe anemia affects 61.9 percent of children. Furthermore, zinc, vitamin D, calcium and protein deficiencies are also widely prevalent in masses.
These nutrient deficiencies have serious manifestations and result in very high chronic malnutrition indices (44 percent stunting and 15 percent wasting in children under 5-years of age).
To evaluate the impact of regular intake of healthy milk on school children the University of Education Punjab launched “School Milk Program” in 90 schools, adopted under Punjab Education Foundation Public Schools Support Program in District Attock and Sheikhupura.
FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan Limited and University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS) joined hands to provide implementation support for scientific evidence generation regarding impact on nutritional status (including anthropometric assessment, dietary assessment, nutritional deficiency signs and symptoms, body composition analysis) and school performance.
Flavoured milk is being provided by the food processor to 9,000 students daily and the UVAS is evaluating the outcome. The programme would last for six months and the analysis by the UVAS provides an insight to the economic and education planners about the benefits on health, learning and growth of the children consuming milk regularly compared with a batch of control children that were deprived of this facility.
The daily milk at Rs45 per 250ml would cost Rs40,500 and in 150 days (after accounting for school holidays during this period) would cost Rs6.1 million, which would be borne by the donour.
The government must readjust its priorities on subsidies and ensure that every school going child regains growth and strength. The funds from Ehsaas and free meal programmes should be diverted to school meal programmes for a better future.
The writer is a staff member