Daily Times

According to a UNICEF report, nearly half of deaths in children under five are because of malnutrition, leading to the loss of about three million young lives every year. Every year around 800,000 children die in Pakistan and 35 percent of these deaths occur due to malnutrition. Another study suggests that the risk of deaths among children becomes ten times higher for a child suffering from malnutrition compared to a child having balanced diet.

In Pakistan, 61 percent children are suffering from iron deficiency anaemia, 54 percent from Vitamin A deficiency, 40 percent from Vitamin D deficiency and 39 percent from Zinc deficiency. Government entities as well as Non Governmental agencies have failed to address this major global issue, malnutrition.

Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) data has found that at least 57 percent of children under five are stunted in Sindh alone. Among them 35 percent are severely stunted.

Globally, a nutrition emergency was affirmed whenever acute malnutrition rates in any area declined to 15 percent; in Sindh this rate has reached 25 percent. However, no serious action to reverse this has been taken by any of the authorities.

A World Bank funded programme to combat malnutrition cases in the province ‘Sindh Nutrition Support Programme’ is being implemented in nine districts of Sindh but it is fruitless because of the sustainability and design of operating the programme.

In inaccessible and remote regions of the country, it becomes difficult for both parents and health officials to provide sufficient diet to the children. Local mothers in such areas have also found their diets deficient. People in areas like Tharparkar and coastal belt villages of Sindh couldn’t find fresh vegetables, fruits and other healthy eating diet so they lack nutrition.

Most of the rural population in Sindh depends on agriculture and livestock so we do need to tackle the situation in this emblematic manner because this technique will not only be beneficial in providing sufficient nutrition supplements but also become a source of establishing an enterprise for the rural folks. Kitchen gardening and plantation of vegetables and trees which have high potential of vitamins, proteins and minerals for a body to be healthy should be promoted in the areas which have high malnutrition rates.

For years, the moringa tree has been used to combat malnutrition cases around the globe as it is a significant source of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, pro-vitamin A as beta-carotene, vitamin K, proteins and minerals including potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium among other essential nutrients in its leaves

Moringa tree is popularly known in many countries as a ‘miracle tree’ owing to contain amazing nutritional and medical properties. It is the most cultivated plant from Moringaceae family and can be grown in tropical, subtropical and semiarid climate. Along with numerous other qualities it possesses the quality to grow faster and is resistant to draughts.

For years, the Moringa tree has been used to combat malnutrition cases around the globe as it is  a significant source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Pro-vitamin A as Beta-carotene, Vitamin K, Proteins and Minerals including potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium among other essential nutrients in its leaves. Its seeds can be eaten as it contains high levels of Vitamin C and moderate amount of Vitamin B along dietary minerals.

Moringa leaves can be dried at low temperature and converted into powder which is completely safe for the human consumption. There is no toxic element or side effect of using Moringa leaf powder. This powder can be used in many ways.

It can be used as the traditional medicine techniques to counter/treat inflammation, anemia, bronchitis, headache, gastrointestinal problems, eye infection, inner ear infection, skin infection, fiver and poor nutrition etc.

“We can reduce the quick growing rate of malnutrition cases in Pakistan by establishing small Moringa farms at village level so that the local communities can take maximum benefits of this implementation.”

It’s been widely used in India for many years but unfortunately it has not been used widely  in Pakistan.  I It is only being cultivated by some private farm owners and local landlords as an entrepreneur for generating income. Apart from this, there seems to no exposure and promotion to cultivate this incredible tree in Pakistan which is  essential for resisting  diseases especially malnutrition in children.

Sindh Nutrition Support Programme (SNSP) and other organizations working for malnutrition in Pakistan can play a pivotal role for the promotion of Moringa tree in Sindh. Short time agreements can be done with local community based organizations and landowners in their interventions regarding Moringa cultivation.

Mobilisation and sensitization regarding benefits of Moringa tree cultivation among communities having high malnutrition cases as in Tharparkar and the Coastal belt of Sindh is required so that they can be provided with valuable knowledge regarding combating the most serious issue, malnutrition.

There is a quote that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the second best time is now, so growing more trees like Moringa can be called a game changer by an individual towards saving humanity.

The writer is a freelance writer based from Badin and can be reached at abbaskhaskheli@hotmail.com

Published in Daily Times, December 26^th 2017.