Punjab govt committed to eradicate malnutrition: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Food Sami Ullah Chaudhry on Monday said that Punjab government is committed to eradicate malnutrition under the priorities of prime minister which is the major cause of the different diseases, ARY News reported.

The provincial minister expressed these views at the launching ceremony of ‘Promotion of Chakki’s Flour’, organised under the auspices of the National Fortification Alliance (NFA) of Pakistan, here on Monday. United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) has provided technical support while Australian government funded this project.

In his address, the minister said that Pakistan ranked third in the list of world malnutrition, especially children were the victim of nutrition deficiency which was being removed.

He said that there was need to extend the scope of food fortification, adding that food fortification programme was being implemented in Punjab province so people could get benefit of the ‘Chakki’s flour’.

The Punjab government was standing with the National Fortification Alliance for removing the deficiencies of nutrition not only from Punjab but from the whole country, he added.

Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Adamson said that Australian government would continue its support to government of Pakistan to improve nutrition.

Earlier, National Coordinator for Fortification Dr.

Khawaja Masood briefed about the feasibility study of wheatflour fortification in detail.