Pakistan ‘should make serious efforts to address malnutrition issue’

Islamabad
Pakistan is facing a silent crisis of malnutrition which is amongst the worst in the world and has not improved for decades. Pakistan needs to make serious efforts to address the issues of malnutrition in collaborative way involving all stakeholders.
This was stated by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal while addressing the first meeting to formulate SUN Academia and Research Network under Global Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement of Pakistan.
He said that improving nutritional status of the population is top priority of the government of Pakistan and also envisioned in the Vision
2025. He announced that the government of Pakistan will help establish the Centre of Excellence for Human Nutrition in public sector universities.
The meeting was organised by the Planning Commission and Micronutrient Initiative (MI) to establish an academia and research network to combat malnutrition in Pakistan. Vice chancellors, senior faculty members and researchers from leading public and private sector universities and research institutes were present on the occasion.
The federal secretary of the planning, development and reforms welcomed the participants and informed the role of Planning Commission in undertaking the work of Scaling Up Nutrition Movement in Pakistan.
Dr. Baseer Khan Achakzai, director nutrition at the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination briefed on the objectives of the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Aslam Shaheen, chief nutrition at the Planning Commission, briefed on the role of different networks established under SUN Movement including the Academia and Research Network.
Dr. Tariq Mahmood, adviser research and development at the Higher Education Commission, stated that the HEC is investing 600 million rupees on research and innovation and assured support in establishment of the network.
Dr. Tausif Akhter Janjua, country director of the Micronutrient Initiative, highlighted the importance of multi-sectoral approach to fight the menace of malnutrition and stated that addressing malnutrition is the best investment Pakistan can make in its future.
In the concluding remarks, Seerat Asghar, secretary of the National Food Security and Research, thanked the participants and emphasised the role of food safety and security in combating malnutrition.
It was decided that a formal meeting of the Research and Academia Network will be held to form an advisory group that will play stewardship role for the establishment of the network after which membership campaign will be started. The network will provide research-based evidence for advocating policy and legislative reforms and will bridge the gap between policy and research.