PAKISTAN: MALNUTRITION A SERIOUS THREAT AMONG CHILDREN, OVER 650,000 ASSISTED

(New York / Geneva / Islamabad: 26 August 2010): Humanitarian workers in flooded Pakistan are increasingly concerned about malnutrition among children. "We are responding to the threat of malnutrition and must do so even more assertively", said Martin Mogwanja, Humanitarian Coordinator in the country.

Province-level survey data shows that before the floods, global acute malnutrition was already high. For instance, 27% of children under five were malnourished in Baluchistan, 13% of in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK), and 17% in Punjab. "We must act together to ensure that already malnourished children do not succumb to disease, and to prevent more from becoming malnourished and ill", added Mr. Mogwanja.

"The flooding has surrounded millions of children with contaminated water. Most have nothing else to drink. We fear the deadly synergy of waterborne diseases, including diarrhea, dehydration, and malnutrition", said Karen Allen, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Pakistan, "Malnutrition makes children more likely to fall ill, and illness makes children more likely to become malnourished". Among the diseases on the rise in flood-hit areas, are diarrhea and malaria. Measles may also contribute to malnutrition, but this has so far been prevented.

UNICEF is addressing this fatal threat by attacking all causes at once. Measles, polio, tetanus and tuberculosis are being addressed through vaccinations, with over 730,000 children covered so far. Diarrhea is being mitigated through provision of clean water to about 1.9 million people, the supply of 1.1 million water purification tablets, and of several hundred thousand hygiene kits. Home-based care of diarrhea is also supported through distribution of nearly one million packets of oral rehydration salts. The World Health Organization (WHO) is a partner in the immunization campaigns, and is supporting the Government through the provision of medicines, mobile health teams, and the establishment of diarrhea treatment centres.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up a blanket feeding programme for flood-affected people. The family rations include special supplements for small children. "Prevention is vital at this stage," said Wolfgang Herbinger, Country Representative of WFP, "For the very youngest children, access to specialized food products could mean the difference between life and death in the coming weeks, as their bodies are weakened by the terrible living conditions that so many are having to endure". The key objective is to prevent children succumbing to acute malnutrition, which requires medical treatment.

Ready-to-use supplementary food such as peanut or chickpea-based pastes - rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins - are distributed to very young children who are no longer exclusively breastfed, while high-energy biscuits provide essential nutrients to older children and to pregnant and breastfeeding women. Over 650,000 children and women have already received these supplements to prevent malnutrition, while UNICEF and WFP are scaling up distribution as rapidly as possible in the coming weeks.

"We are responding to this threat and must continue to do so", said Mr. Mogwanja, "If nothing is done, an estimated 72,000 children, currently affected by severe acute malnutrition in the flood-affected areas, are at high risk of death".