ALTHOUGH over 44pc of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition in the country, the government has persistently failed to address poverty and food insecurity. With the global sustainable development agenda having endorsed malnutrition and stunting as the new health threat, the onus is now on international donor agencies to take humanitarian action in poor communities. This weekend, the World Bank pledged assistance to the tune of $61m to fight stunting in Sindh where the growth of 48pc of children under five is compromised. Supporting nutrition projects in 23 districts with stunting rates of more than 40pc, the objective is to reduce the rate by one percentage point annually — from 48pc in 2017 to 43pc in 2021. That thousands of children are stunted and many hundreds die of hunger in a province where a quarter of the country’s population resides is the shameful consequence of government neglect. It demonstrates political unwillingness to adopt nutrition as a political priority.

Because malnutrition is associated with the socioeconomic determinants of maternal health, education, child marriage and gender empowerment, government-driven strategies are required to mitigate the impact of inequality and poverty. Focusing on hygiene, healthcare and household food insecurity, as well as inadequate feeding practices for women and children, is imperative for healthcare units. Furthermore, health and education plans must incorporate social protection programmes aimed at women. Providing pregnant women with cash transfers, educating them to mentally stimulate their young children and improving access to sanitation in areas where there is open defecation are some remedial measures. Only sustained reform of and investment in the health sector will bridge the gap between urban and rural areas, so that the most marginalised can access improved maternal nutrition and antenatal care. To this end, the Lady Health Workers programme is an asset. It is only when our policymakers recognise that improved child health is critical for economic development that stunting rates will decrease.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2017