Quetta, Balochistan’s Provincial Health Minister, Sardarzada Faisal Khan Jamali, emphasized the critical importance of addressing malnutrition and poor dietary habits during the Pakistan National Health Diets Policy Consultation Workshop in Quetta. The event, attended by various governmental, academic, and nutritional stakeholders, marks a significant step towards forming a comprehensive national policy on healthy diets.
According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Balochistan, the workshop was a collaborative initiative organized by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, with technical support from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Participants included key figures from both federal and provincial government departments, educational and research institutions, and development and nutrition organizations. The primary goal is to develop a policy framework that effectively addresses the diverse nutritional needs of Pakistan’s population.
During the workshop, Secretary Health Saleh Muhammad Baloch highlighted the urgency of this initiative, particularly for improving food quality and availability for children. He pointed out the existing challenges of child wasting, food safety, and water-borne diseases, stressing the need for these issues to be prioritized in the policy agenda.
Faiz Rasool, Head of Policy and Advocacy, shed light on the severe malnutrition issues in Pakistan, noting that 40.2% of children under five are stunted and about 192 million people lack access to healthy diets. He advocated for a shift in policy to discourage unhealthy foods through taxation and to incentivize healthier options.
Dr. Khawaja Masood from the Federal Ministry of Health discussed the limitations of previous efforts due to poor coordination and resources, emphasizing the influence of factors like climate change. He mentioned Pakistan’s involvement in the “Coalition of Action on Healthy Diets for Sustainable Food Systems for Children and All (HDFSS),” signaling a commitment to integrate healthy diets into the national food and nutrition policy.
The event also featured an in-depth analysis by GAIN and an extensive presentation by the International Research Force (IRF) on the framework for the National Healthy Diet Policy. This was complemented by group activities that focused on identifying key policy areas, ensuring stakeholder input from various sectors to reflect a comprehensive and contextual approach to national food policy.