The Launching and Dissemination Ceremony of “Protection of Breast Feeding and Child Nutrition Rules” was held recently at Islamabad. Federal Minister for Health, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Director General Health was the chief guest where as Begum Shehnaz Wazir Ali, Prime minister’s special assistant on social sector; Dr. Zil-e-Huma, Member National Assembly, Parliamentary Secretary Women Development; Ms. Kulsoom Parveen, Chairperson Senate’s Standing Committee on Health; Secretary Health, Khushnood Akhter Lashari, Dr. Rashid Jooma, Director General, Ministry of Health; Dr. Baseer Khan Achakzai, DDG NW; Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud, WHO Representative; Mr. Martin Mogwanja UNICEF Representative; Dr. Noor Ahmed Khan, Country Director, Micronutrient Initiative, Dr. Amanullah Khan, Senior Director Health and Nutrition, Save The Children US and other representatives of the concerned departments were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Health Makhdoom Shahabuddin said that the health status of Pakistanis in general and mothers and children in particular is not satisfactory. Of particular concern is the nutrition status of our children, he added.
“The Ministry of Health is making all-out efforts to deal with this challenge”, he further added. He said that the Ministry intends to address this situation by strengthening its existing health programmes in collaboration with their friends.
The launching of “Protection of Breast Feeding and Child Nutrition Rules 2009″is a reaffirmation by the government for making breast-feeding a norm to secure the life of the new-borns and infants. The rules would have profound impact on expediting Pakistan’s progress towards Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.
Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan is making arduous efforts to translate the vision of Shaheed Mohtarima Benazir Bhutto who in her book “Reconciliation and Democracy” has clearly spelled out the need of Primary Health Care with a special focus on women and children.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ‘Protection of Breast feeding and Young Child Nutrition Ordinance, 2002’ addresses the need to ensure safe and adequate nutrition for infants young children by promoting and protecting breast feeding, and by regulating the marketing and promotion of baby milks and baby foods, feeding bottles and pacifiers. Since the promulgation of the Ordinance there was a need to finalise the rules and the governing mechanisms.
The Secretary Health, Khushnood Akhter Lashari said that poor Infant feeding practices play a major role in reducing child and infant mortality rate in Pakistan. The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) shows, “only 23% of the population practices exclusive breast-feeding up to the age of 6 months,” he added.
Evaluations of indicators suggest that Pakistan is lagging behind in several key nutrition and health indicators. It will thus be impossible to achieve the health MDG targets without addressing malnutrition and hunger.
He stressed the need for improving the nutritional status of infants and young children through protection, promoting, and supporting optimal feeding practices.
Dr. Rashid Jooma, Director General for Health, highlighted that the promotion of Early and Exclusive Breast milk feeding and Complementary Feeding would help in reducing infant and maternal mortality and morbidity. It is estimated that breast-feeding practices can help Pakistan achieve eradication of extreme hunger and reduce under five mortality rate by two thirds.
Since the promulgation of the Protection of Breastfeeding and Young Child Nutrition Ordinance, 2002 there is a need to finalize the rules and the governing mechanisms. Towards that end the constitution of the National Infant feeding Board, the qualification of its members and powers and functions of the Board have been defined. Besides this the rules provide the operational details, prohibitions and guidance, roles of health workers and health care facilities in promotion of breast-feeding, guidance on informational and educational materials, procedures, duties of cadres, surveillance, quality control and compliance procedures.
Dr. Baseer Khan Achakzai, DDG Nutrition Wing shared the objectives of the launching and dissemination of The “Protection of Breast Feeding and Child Nutrition Rules”. He informed that nation-wide consultations were undertaken to get these rules developed and finalised. Expressing his feelings on the occasion, Martin Mogwanja, Country Representative, Unicef, Pakistan, congratulated the ministry and all those who have contributed towards the approval and notification of the Rules.