ISLAMABAD: A survey has revealed that four in 10 under-five children in Pakistan are stunted, nearly 13 per cent of children aged two and five years suffer from some kind of functional disability and over half of the girls across the country are anemic.

Moreover, 12pc adolescent girls and 20pc adolescent boys are underweight, and two out of every 10 children under five also suffer from wasting.

‘National Nutrition Survey 2018’, the largest survey in the history of Pakistan, was conducted with the financial support of the United Kingdom (UK) government and in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) and the Aga Khan University (AKU).

The survey, which started in March 2018 and completed by the end of the year, the nutrition status of 115,500 households was assessed across the country.

12pc adolescent girls and 20pc boys are underweight, nutrition survey says

Prof Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta of the AKU, who supervised the survey, said he was not sure a survey of such a magnitude would be held in the country again.

“Moreover, 95pc response rate was observed. We found that 29pc children were underweight, 40.2pc stunted and women of reproductive age were overweight.

“Pakistan needs a National Nutrition Action Plan as maternal and child malnutrition in the country is multi-factoral. It was observed that children are giving birth to children. A girl’s body develops till the age of 18 but they deliver babies before that age,” he said.

He said 60pc of people were facing Vitamin D deficiency and highest deficiency was observed in Lahore. However, iodine level has been increased in the population.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on NHS Dr Zafar Mirza said a centre of excellence on nutrition would soon be established to improving the health and well-being of the people, particularly women and children. He said National Action Plan on Nutrition would also be developed at the earliest.

He said a few challenges facing Pakistan are more urgent than combating malnutrition and this issue beyond dispute was in need of factual data.

He said the nutrition survey was the largest ever conducted in the country during which district level data had been collected rather than provincial level. The last survey was conducted in 2011 and since then efforts were being made to curb malnutrition.

Director General Ministry of NHS Dr Asad Hafeez said: “It will be used for policy making and other steps in coming years.”

Country representative United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) Aida Girma said high level of malnutrition was an issue and Prime Minister Imran Khan had also highlighted it.

“The survey is a wakeup call and needs immediate intervention,” she suggested.

Head of Department for International Development (DFID) Joanna Reid said success of the survey gave a strong signal to address the issue of malnutrition which was a major challenge.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2019