ISLAMABAD: Despite the passage of nearly a year since the floods, Pakistan is currently facing an imminent nutrition crisis, which has been aggravated by pre-existing high rates of malnutrition in flood-affected regions, says a new report prepared by the United Nations and its humanitarian partners.

Of particular concern is the increasing malnutrition among young children, as under-nutrition accounts for nearly half of all deaths in children under five. Shockingly, one in five children under-five in Pakistan suffer from wasting, with severe and moderate acute malnutrition rates at 8 per cent and 9.7 per cent, respectively, according to the report released by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) on Wednesday.

The 84 districts affected by the 2022 monsoon flooding display distressing nutrition indicators. These districts have an average severe acute malnutrition rate of 12 per cent, impacting over 3.5

million children. Among them, more than 1.45m children require treatment with Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) due to severe wasting.

84 districts hit by last year’s flood display distressing nutrition indicators

Several factors contribute to acute malnutrition, including poor maternal nutrition, inadequate sanitation and hygiene, suboptimal care and feeding practices, and limited access to essential nutrition services and nutritious diets.

As of June 5, 2023, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) indicates that approximately 10.5 million people from 43 districts in vulnerable provinces of the country are facing acute food insecurity. Within this population, around 2.1m individuals (6 per cent) are in emergency phase, while 8.4m people (23 per cent) are in crisis phase.

These areas, including Balochistan (18 districts), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (nine districts), and Sindh (16 districts), were severely affected by the monsoon rains and flooding last year, which greatly impacted food production, consumption, livelihoods, and employment opportunities.

The UNOCHA report further says that rising food prices and limited livelihood options have further exacerbated the challenge of accessing food. The situation is expected to worsen between November 2023 and January 2024, with an estimated 11.8m people (32pc) likely to experience high levels of acute food insecurity.

According to the latest FAO-WFP hunger hotspots report, Pakistan has been classified as one of the “hotspots” with significant concern, particularly regarding critical acute food insecurity. The report predicts that an alarming 8.6m individuals may face severe levels of acute food insecurity from June to November 2023.

Unfortunately, the prevailing economic and political crises have further deteriorated the situation, leading to a decline in households’ purchasing power and their ability to afford food and essential commodities.

Since May 2023, Pakistan has been battered by moderate rain, heavy spells, severe dust thunderstorms, and hailstorms, causing extensive damage to properties and crops. On June 10, rain-related incidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab province claimed the lives of at least 31 individuals, leaving around 160 injured.

The districts of Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak, and Lakki Marwat reported 28 fatalities, while three schools suffered partial damage and two houses completely collapsed. Over 160 houses were also partially damaged. Tragically, over 150 cattle perished, and three girls lost their lives in Chan village, Khushab district. Additionally, 10 people were injured in rain-related incidents in Gujranwala. The heavy rain and dusty winds caused power outages in various areas of both KP and Punjab.

In preparation for the monsoon season, the government and humanitarian agencies placed a high priority on emergency preparedness and contingency planning. An inter-agency process has been initiated by UNOCHA Pakistan that incorporates lessons learned from the 2022 floods. An important aspect of this process is the inclusion of women in planning and response efforts to ensure that the needs of vulnerable individuals are not overlooked.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2023