ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Health Dr Mukhtar Bharat on Tuesday claimed that the government would take all possible steps to devise a policy to improve child nutrition and maternal health.

Addressing an awareness seminar on the harms of formula milk, Dr Bharat said formula milk had negative impacts and urged media to play a role in creating public awareness on this important issue.

“Formula milk does not contain the same nutrients as mother’s milk, which is vital for a child’s healthy development. Children fed on formula milk often experience growth deficiencies compared to those who are breastfed,” he said.

The minister stressed the need to raise awareness among parliamentarians as well, so that they could play their part in supporting breastfeeding initiatives and enforcing relevant legislation.

“Pakistan already has laws to protect and promote breastfeeding, and the government is ensuring their implementation,” he said, adding that “nationwide awareness campaigns, including in Islamabad, will be launched to educate women about the benefits of breastfeeding”.

Dr Mukhtar Bharat also noted that formula milk industry was influential commercial entity that promoted its products through various means, often misleading the public about their requirement.

He warned that the declining practice of breastfeeding was not only harming child health but also adding an increasing burden on the national economy.

The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to introduce stronger and more effective legislation to promote and protect breastfeeding across Pakistan.

It is worth mentioning that WHO/Unicef had released a report titled ‘How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding’.

The report claimed that through unethical marketing strategies used by the formula milk industry – now worth a staggering $55 billion – parents were influenced in taking decisions regarding infant feeding.

Report claimed that the industry marketing techniques included unregulated and invasive online targeting; sponsored advice networks and helplines; promotions and free gifts; and practices to influence training and recommendations among health workers.

The messages that parents and health workers received were often misleading, scientifically unsubstantiated and violate the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) – a landmark public health agreement passed by the World Health Assembly in 1981 to protect mothers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2025