PM launches first anti-stunting Ehsaas Nashonuma program in KP

KHYBER: Prime Minister Imran Khan here Thursday afternoon launched the country’s first ever Ehsaas Nashonuma programme to prevent stunted growth of children.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Khyber Pakthunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Mahmood Khan, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Pir Noorul Haq Qadari and Special Assistant to PM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar besides other senior officials of KP Government.

The prime minister visited the Ehsas Nashonuma Center in Khyber district to formally inaugurate the landmark project.

The Prime Minister also planted a sapling on this occasion. Dr Sania Nishtar briefed the Prime Minister about salient features of Ehsaas Nashonoma Programme.

The Prime Minister was informed that the Government had earmarked Rs. 8.52 billion budget for the government funded three-year Nashonuma program.

Dr. Sania Nishtar said the project beneficiaries would be provided quarterly stipend of Rs. 2,000 for girls and Rs. 1,500 for boys.

As many as 33 Nashonuma centers have been established in nine districts including Khyber, Upper Dir, Bagh, Ghizer, Hunza, Kharmang, Kharan, Badin and Rajanpur in the first phase and these districts have been selected on the basis of prevalence of stunting problem.

The Prime Minister was told that four centers have been set up in Rajanpur, six in Upper Dir and three in Khyber while six were being established in Badin, three each in Kharan and Bagh and eight in Gilgit-Baltistan.

An application has also been designed to maintain the health record of the beneficiaries and special registration desks have also been set up for beneficiary women at the centers.

The desks would maintain data of pregnant and lactating mothers and the height, weight and health condition of their under-two year babies.

The beneficiary women would be bound to attend the awareness sessions to be held in the regional languages for what special literature including charts, posters and educational videos have been designed.

Special ATM machines were being set up at all Nashonuma Centers to dispense the amount of stipend through biometrics.

The resolution of stunting issue among the children has always been among the prime minister’s priorities which faced neglect by the previous governments.

Pakistan stood at second in the region for stunting as 40 percent of the children faced stunted growth owing to malnutrition or other reasons which adversely impact their natural height and mental capability.