Islamabad: The Australian Government in conjunction with the World Bank (WB) is supporting the Government of Balochistan in programmes designed to kerb malnutrition, which include encouraging the practice of breastfeeding, the Australian High Commissioner, Margaret Adamson said here, on Tuesday. In accordance with the global observance of this week as “World Breastfeeding Week,” Adamson noted that Australia’s nutrition project worth AUD 17 million would assist improving the access to nutrition in seven districts of Balochistan. “This project will continue the Australian Government-supported work to improve nutrition, particularly for women and children. This will include encouraging and educating women to breastfeed where possible,” Adamson added. Both Australian High Commissioner and World Bank staff recently met with Balochistan Health Secretary, Dr Muhammad Umer Baloch; DG Health Services, Dr Masood Qadir Nousherwani, and Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development, Dawood Mohammad Baloch, in Quetta to assess progress, according to a press release. Secretary Baloch then said, “Improved coordination between development partners and the Government of Balochistan will be essential for the collective success of the various nutrition projects implementing in the province.” The Additional Chief Secretary Baloch was of the view, “Government of Balochistan committed Rs. 106 million, last year, for the nutrition project, and has allocated a further Rs. 96 million this year.” At present, Pakistan faces a severe nutrition crisis with 44 percent of its children suffering from stunted growth–a symptom of chronic malnutrition that impacts both the physical and mental development of a child. Wasting (gradual reduction in fullness and strength of the body) has also reached the globally adopted emergency threshold of 15 per cent.