Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has become the first region in the country to launch the wheat flour fortification project with the assistance of a UN agency and a Canada based nongovernmental organisation.
The “Wheat Flour Fortification Project” has been initiated in the region by the AJK food department with the technical and financial assistance of World Food Programme (WFP) and Micronutrient Initiative (MI) from May this year initially for three years, but officials say it is most likely to be extended up to five years.
Nutritionists say that nearly half of Pakistan’s children and mothers are suffering from malnutrition and the “situation has been worse than many sub-Saharan African countries.”
According to the National Nutrition Survey (NNS) of 2011, the ratio of stunting (low height for age) and wasting (low weight for height) had scaled up to 44 and 15 per cent from 31 and 12 per cent recorded in NNS of 2001-02.
The ratio of anaemia has gone up to 63 per cent in children and 51 per cent in pregnant women as compared to 51 and 29 percent in the 2001-02 NNS.
Similarly, the vitamin-A deficiency in children has increased to 54 per cent and in non pregnant women to 42 per cent from what was 13 and 6 per cent, respectively, in the 2001-02 NNS.
The only improvement has been observed in iodine deficiency, as its 63 and 76 per cent ratio in 2001-02 had decreased to 36 and 36 per cent in 2011.
“Without changing this situation, Pakistan risks suffering from a demographic nightmare of a growing unskilled, economically unproductive population rather than the demographic dividend which has powered its neighbours growing prosperity,” said Dr Ahsanullah Khan Bhurgri, MI’s national programme manager in Pakistan, at a workshop here on Monday.
The workshop was organised to sensitize the masses about the consequences of micronutrient deficiencies and use of fortified flour to address the Iron deficiency anaemia among the women and children.
Dr Bhurgri told that AJK had been chosen for the wheat flour fortification project for multiple reasons, major one being the state controlled mechanism for allocation of wheat quota to the wheat flour mills for grinding and onward distribution and sale through food depots.
According to the statistics, all 11 wheat flour mills across AJK are producing around 350,000 metric tons of wheat flour for its distribution and sale through the AJK food department. Apart from that, some of these mills are also authorised to purchase wheat from the private market for grinding.
“Under this project, which has been launched last month, we are providing pre-mix (comprising iron and folic acid) to these mills not only for the state provided quota of wheat but also for what they purchase from the open market for grinding,” Dr Bhurgri said.
On a whole, around 500,000 metric tons of wheat flour containing pre-mix would be provided to consumers in AJK, he added.
He said MI would shortly launch another project with fiscal cooperation from DFID to cover watermills for wheat flour fortification drive.
He said the project had initially been launched for three years. However after the approval of DFID funding, it would be extended to five years.
He further said that negotiations were underway with the AJK food and health departments to make it mandatory for the flour mills to provide wheat flour mixed with iron and folic acid.
Speaking at the workshop, AJK minister for agriculture, animal husbandry and information, Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, appreciated MI efforts to introduce cost effective and sustainable solutions to address the micronutrient deficiencies globally, particularly in Pakistan and AJK.
“This is an extremely significant development that addresses Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) in AJK with just a mere cost of Rs 2 per 20 Kg of flour,” he said.
Others who spoke included Dr Shabbir Dar, executive director, Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences Muzaffarabad and AJK’ nutrition focal person, Sohail Manzoor, representative WFP and Dr Tausif Akhtar Janjua, MI country director in Pakistan
Tariq Naqash
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