ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan Health Department’s Provincial Nutrition Directorate has started community awareness sessions to raising awareness among the masses on mother and child health status in the province.
Talking to APP, an official of the Balochistan government Tuesday said that collective and concrete efforts were needed such as community-based intervention to address acute malnutrition of mothers and children.
He said the government had enrollment a large number of malnourished cases under the Nutrition programme to improve the nutritional status.
He added that postpartum women would be encouraged to receive adequate nutrition, which was possible through the consumption of a balanced healthy diet.
The severely malnourished children with complications were being referred to Stabilisation Centres established at District Headquarters Hospital for treatment and follow-up, he further mentioned.
The nutrition working group was planning for nutrition-based diet and supplement availability to every individual at their doorstep, he noted.
He said that several malnourished children with complications admitted to nutrition stabilization centres established in the province.
He added that the government had already declared a nutrition emergency in the province realizing the mass threat posed to the mother and infant life in the province.
He said that half of the children in Balochistan were bearing stunted growth with 46.6 percent.
He said the fight against malnutrition and improving mother and child health was the top agenda of the government.
He said that counselling of pregnant and lactating women on nutrition, health and hygiene was being done by Lady Health Workers in Mother Support Groups established at the community level.
