Islamabad: Pakistan continues to face a severe malnutrition crisis, with stunting and wasting affecting a significant portion of its child population, as per the latest issue of the Nutrition Sector Bulletin released by the United Nations for August 2024.
According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, the bulletin outlines a distressing picture: 40.2% of children under five in Pakistan are stunted, while 17.7% suffer from wasting rates that signify a nutritional emergency. The report highlights that inadequate nutrition during pregnancy is a major contributor to these conditions, which are exacerbated by socioeconomic challenges and inadequate public health responses.
The situation is particularly dire in Sindh and Balochistan, where the highest rates of stunting and wasting are recorded. Despite some progress in other health and economic indicators, the rates of acute malnutrition have reached the highest in Pakistan’s history, with nearly one in three children underweight.
The UN and its partners are actively coordinating with Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health System Regulations and Coordination and provincial health ministries to address these issues through improved nutrition programming and emergency response mechanisms. The bulletin calls for urgent multi-sectoral interventions to mitigate the impact of malnutrition and to ensure better health outcomes for Pakistan’s future generations.