ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Saira Afzal Tarar has said that Pakistan is one of the countries in the world with the highest burden of malnutrition. “Government of Pakistan is cognizant of the situation and we, now clearly recognize that, without improving the nutritional outcomes for our people, not only we limit their right to healthy and productive lives but also compromise Pakistan’s march towards economic progress”, the Minister said while addressing landmark event on Food Fortification in Islamabad on Thursday. The National Nutrition Survey carried out in 2011 revealed continued high rates of micronutrient deficiencies in children and women. A total of 62 per cent children are anemic, 54 per cent are vitamin A and 40 per cent are Vitamin D deficient. Similarly 51 per cent mothers are anemic, 42 per cent suffer from Vitamin A and 68 per cent from Vitamin D deficiency. Saira Afzal said Government of Pakistan is encouraging the initiatives for the Food Fortification of major staple foods effectively address the issue of micronutrient malnutrition through concerted efforts of all the provinces, partners and stake holders. The National Fortification Alliance was reconstituted under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination. After the revitalization of National Fortification Alliance in 2015, Provincial Fortification Alliances have been constituted in all the provinces, she added. Minister said, revision of food fortification standards, including those for wheat flour, according to the need of the population, following international guidelines and as per regional recommendations was a major step. A crucial development was exemption of fortificant premix from all import duties and taxes announced in the country’s fiscal budget 2016-17, and efforts towards sustainability of successful Salt Iodization Program in Pakistan, she maintained. Minister further said that with highest level of government ownership and commitment, nutrition has been center staged in our policies and strategies which are being translated into programs and projects. The federal government is supporting the provinces in development of their nutrition and fortification programming. All the provinces have their approved nutrition projects and working to address malnutrition, she added. She said fortification programs require the collaboration of the public and private sector. So a strong need was felt to develop the National Strategy for food fortification interventions in Pakistan which we are gathered here to launch today. “I look forward to the translation of this fortification strategy into work plans and its implementation on ground. I also hope that this work does not stop here and we see the provincial fortification strategies building on the guiding principles and recommendations outlined in the National strategy” he concluded. Australian funding: Australian Government Thursday announced additional support worth one million dollars to Pakistan and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Pakistan to improve nutrition, eliminate hunger and attain food security by fortifying food. The announcement followed the official launch of a strategy, which has supported from the WFP Pakistan, the National Fortification Alliance (NFA) and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MNHSRC) aims to layout key actions for overcoming the micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistan known as ‘hidden hunger’. The strategy states that the addition of vitamins and minerals to common foods is an effective, affordable and safe measure to lower the burden of micronutrient deficiencies. According to the National Nutrition Survey of 2011, more than half of women and two thirds of children in Pakistan are suffering from micronutrient deficiencies. This is a serious public health problem, and it results in slow physical and cognitive development in children, inferior school performance and decreased productivity in adults. The problem imposes on Pakistan an annual economic burden of around 3.5 billion dollars, equivalent to around 2% of Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Saira Afzal Tarar, endorsed the National Fortification Strategy, acknowledging the efforts of the government of Australia, the NFA and the WFP Pakistan. Tarar said the interventions proposed in the Food Fortification Strategy are in line with the government’s priorities to improve status of nutrition for its people. The Ministry of Nutrition Health Services, Regulations and Coordination is working in close liaison with its valued partners to eliminate hunger, attain food security and improved nutrition by achieving the goals of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. The Acting High Commissioner to Pakistan Jurek Juszczyk said, “The Australian government has supported the National and Provincial Fortification Alliances of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh since June 2015.”