PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday launched the first-ever national nutrition programme (Ehsaas Nashunuma Programme) under the auspices of Ehsaas Programme. The purpose of the programme is to prevent children of becoming stunts.
The programme was launched during a ceremony held at Alam Gudar, district Khyber. Besides, Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Pir Noorul Haq Qadari and Special Assistant to PM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar, other senior officials of KP Government were also present on the occasion.
The prime minister visited the Ehsas Nashonuma Centre 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 Ehsas Nashonuma Programme. The Prime Minister was informed that the government had earmarked Rs 8.52 billion budget for the government funded three-year Nashonuma programme. Dr Sania Nishtar said the project beneficiaries would be provided quarterly stipends of Rs 2,000 for girls and Rs 1,500 for boys respectively.
As many as 33 Nashonuma Centres 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.
Initially, the programme has been launched in nine districts of the country. 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 centres.
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 are being set up at all Nashonuma Centres 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. 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.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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