ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Monday that a comprehensive nutrition PC-I for the entire country titled ‘Tackling Malnutrition Induced Stunting in Pakistan’ has been formulated.

In response to a question asked by MNA Naureen Farooq Ibrahim, the health minister said the PC-I was devised as per the advice and guidance of National Health Task Force.

“This PC-I targets beneficiaries of the ‘Sehat Sahulat Programme’ high burden districts covering around 30pc population of the country which belong to the most under-privileged and marginalised segments of the society and country,” the health ministry said in written reply, adding that stakeholder consultations are underway and proposed cost of the project is Rs350 billion including federal share of Rs175 billion.

The PC-I, submitted in November last year, has been approved by the Council of common Interests (CCI), the response stated, adding according to data from National Nutrition Survey 2018 (NNS-2018) figures of stunting in provinces are as follows: Punjab 36.4pc, Sindh 45.5pc, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 40pc, KP-newly merged districts (NMDs) 48.3pc, Balochistan 46.6pc, Islamabad 32.6pc, Azad Jammu & Kashmir 39.3pc and Gilgit-Baltistan 46.6pc respectively.

The survey also revealed that an estimated 40pc children under the age of five years are stunted and nearly 17.7pc are wasted.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2021