ISLAMABAD: The US mission in Islamabad has reaffirmed its commitment to working with Pakistan to tackle the ongoing malnutrition crisis, particularly among children. Jonathan Lalley, a spokesperson for the US mission, highlighted the severe risk faced by millions of Pakistani children due to malnutrition, exacerbated by the devastating 2022 floods that severely impacted women and children.
“Every Pakistani child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy, strong, and to reach their full potential,” Lalley emphasized.
He noted that out of the $215 million provided by the US for flood relief and recovery, nearly $100 million has been allocated specifically to combat malnutrition. The US has partnered with the UN’s World Food Programme to deliver emergency food and nutrition aid and collaborated with UNICEF to treat nearly 135,000 malnourished children, provide prenatal care to approximately 74,000 pregnant women, and offer essential healthcare services.
Additionally, the US and the World Health Organization (WHO) have set up 12 nutrition stabilization centers in Balochistan and Sindh to deliver crucial health services. US Ambassador Donald Blome recently delivered 486 tonnes of ready-to-use therapeutic food, which is expected to benefit an additional 39,000 children.
So far, the US has provided emergency therapeutic food to over 317,000 Pakistani mothers and children and trained 779,000 front-line healthcare workers to offer nutrition counseling aimed at preventing malnutrition.
Despite these efforts, the UN has indicated that the malnutrition crisis in Pakistan remains a complex, multi-sectoral challenge, with the country’s progress in addressing the issue over the past decade being less than satisfactory.
