Media’s role is essential in combating malnutrition

Islamabad : Commitment from media is critical for mobilizing and generating affirmative action to defeat malnutrition menace in Pakistan that is one of the causes hindering country’s development.

This was emphasized in a meeting organised by Scaling up Civil Society Alliance Pakistan (SUNCSA Pak) in collaboration with Nutrition International (NI) to discuss the role of media in highlighting impact of malnutrition.

Delivering the welcome remarks Coordinator SUNCSA Aaliya Habib said media is an integral part of civil society and media’s involvement is essential for addressing challenging situation of malnutrition in Pakistan. Half of our population is suffering from different forms of malnutrition that is one of the main causes that are hindering country’s development, she added.

Advocacy Specialist National Advocacy Strategy for Scaling Up Nutrition (NASSUN) Planning Commission of Pakistan, Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms Dr. Irshad Danish said the session aims at highlighting the impact of malnutrition and the urgent need for scaling up solutions for vulnerable population and channelizing media’s attention for addressing the issue of malnutrition.

Deputy Chief Nutrition Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms Nazeer Ahmed said nutrition is a maker and a marker of the sustainable development. Out of 169 indicators of SDGs, 57 indicators are directly related with nutrition. Poor nutrition is the single most important threat to the world’s health and malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients, he said.

He further said that Pakistan has joined the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN Movement) in 2013 which aims to overcome the malnutrition through coordinated and collaborative efforts.

National Program Manager, Child Survival and Development at Nutrition International (NI) Shehzad Afzal, while sharing NI’s role and contributions for improving nutrition situation in the country said that globally 45 per cent of under-five deaths are attributable to under nutrition. The current malnutrition crisis in Pakistan has been estimated to cost the economy 3% of GDP annually; Pakistan cannot afford to sustain this drain on the economy, he said.

Chief Nutrition at Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms Aslam Shaheen in his concluding remarks said that first 1000 days of a child’s life (from conception to child’s 2nd birthday) is a crucial time and inadequate nutrition during this period may result in stunting which is irreversible.

He added that media is an institution and their effective role in highlighting nutrition agenda can bring a revolutionary change in awareness raising among general public to influence the government at policy and programs level.