It’s so sad to know that being an agricultural country and
even producing enough, 58% of the people of Pakistan are estimated to be food insecure and
the actual level may be higher than that. Agriculture as a segment of the Pakistan
economy has availed special privilege in almost of the government’s tenure and
they are exempt from paying taxes but all they do is make the innocent, poor
people work on their fields with little wages like animals … being financially
striped off despite working so hard leads to hunger and thus malnutrition in
kids and women of the lower socio economic groups in the rural areas
WHO has been promoting the drive to end malnutrition amongst
the Pakistani people namely the kids and the women those who can’t afford food
and are thus malnutritioned. However through this platform I would like to cite
that not only the under privileged kids but the privileged kids faced
malnutrition as they don’t eat healthy food and although their body is
developed it lacks the physical strength as they had been nurtured on the
commercial/junk foods. So an overall awareness is needed to promote healthy
eating habbits are to be encouraged in kids particularly.
Who doesn’t like little kids with beaming smiles on their
faces in our society the round plum , active baby not to mention the gora chiitta is the apple
of the eye of every gathering that puts
smile on the most bitter karela person present but ever wondered from where
does all the glow, energy , beam comes from .. No! we don’t give a damn if we
see any thin, malnutrioned kid often
saying * KITNA SUKHA HAY * and most of the
experienced house wives in rearing kids can be seen sharing their pearls of wisdom with moms like Zubaida
Appa ! But Who states that under the age
of 5 , 15 % have reached the critical threshold , 44% are stunted and 32
% are underweight .An alarming situation that needs immediate attention.
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The mental incapabilities and the physical incapability due to
malnutrition leads to many problems in life as they cant take part in the fun/ sports
activities. It leads to bone deformity, iron deficiency and they lack the power
to focus, reason like a healthy kid does .The stature of the kids can often be
identified as being thin, boney, yellow eyes and pale skin
Then the lactating mothers due to being malnutritioned are
unable to provide the nutritional value to the little baby via the natural
feeding as a result the babies take time to grow and don’t develop thee
antibodies to fight the viral attacks at
this infant age that causes a threat to
their existence in the long run
The most painful situation is where people die and fight due
to hunger, where due to in access to nutritional food or pleasure of tongue
inferiority complex is developed in the young minds, where the demarcation
between privileged and under privileged is judged by a better looking mango...
why a basic necessity, why a food ?
It may seem funny at first sight a recent incident where in
the PML (Q) jalsa people ate before the iftar time and a man was clearly seen
shouting in the video that there is ample time left to break fast but no body
paid any heed to him. What does this show? The fear of remaining hungry once
again making them attacks the food forgetting the reason why they fasted whole
day long …..
HOW TO OVERCOME THE VENOM OF MALNUTRITION:
- There needs to be massive awareness in the society over malnutrition in kids, identification of the symptoms and DIY basic guides to eliminate it as they see the early signs
- Although the cash for work activity has been initiated by WHO for the underprivileged segment of our society, WHO in joint venture with the UNICEF should acquire a land in its name and start the cultivation of the easily grown nutritional foods like Banana and Potatoes , hiring local people to care for the fields at a respectable wage ( instead of just transferring the cash in their name as it apparently does ) and the food products after fulfilling the needs of the locals should be distributed in the supermarkets under the brand name of WHO KAY POTATOE or WHO KAY AALOO.. To generate further revenue and awareness both for the malnutritional programme and the benefits of the organic farming.
- WHO should construct an agreement with the leading nutritional brands of meat, milk and poultry and make them adopt a village or a locality make people have access to their food items under corporate social responsibility act.
- It is very great that WFP has started the school feeding programme that feeds to 1.3 million kids in the school and they take the ration home as well, this should be increased on a mass level with the inclusion of the technical training so that kids can learn the skills at school in which they have a interest and earn there this will ensure a healthy future for them.
- I have come across a very good practice adopted by International Humanity Foundation is that they make volunteers across the world virtually and in real they place advertisements for IHF and write for it in order to create awareness and generate potential funds, this practice could be adopted by WHO in the fight against malnutrition.
- Pakistani
Government should include in the legislation a progressive tax on the
agriculture mafia’s and WHO can spread awareness of this issue as its
affecting the health of women and children of
- WHO should liaise with the high ranking government officials to eliminate malnutrition and hunger and the government target should be matched with that of the WHO.
In the end I would like to request all the people who
possess a caring heart. Please in this Ramadan take a certain portion out as Zakat,
Sadqa, Donation to help the kids and women in A healthy
The following is the account details for contributions:
Please specify purpose: WFP Ramzan Campaign
US Dollars
Title:
WFP Pakistan Imprest Account
Account No:
01-7336926-51
Currency
USD
Bank details: Standard Chartered Bank Ltd. Plot No. 19-A, Markaz F-7, Islamabad
SWIFT:
SCBLPKKX
Pak Rupees
Title:
WFP Pakistan Imprest Account
Account No:
08-7336926-38
Currency
PKR
Bank details: Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Plot No. 19-A, Markaz F-7, Islamabad
SWIFT:
SCBLPKKX
for those interested in volunteering plz check out this link
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