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Malnutrition national problem: Khaleda
Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia said here yesterday that the government had been actively trying to solve the problem of malnutrition through well-coordinated programmes. reports BSS.
She said malnutrition was obviously a national problem and her government wanted to prevent it effectively
The theory of Dai-Bhat, a nutritional approach to poverty alleviation, had been Introduced for the prevention of malnutrition. the Prime Minister told the inaugural session of the Fourth National Conference of Bangladesh Population Association and Its seminar on Prevention of Maternal and Child Malnutrition in Bangladesh at NEC Building auditorium.
.The. fynettoa wa» ad dresses. among others, by Health and Family Welfare Minister Chowdhury Kamal
Ibnc Yusuf, Finance Minister M Satfur Rahman. BPA President Dr A K M Ghulam Rabbani. Secretary General Abu Yusuf Chowdhury and chief of Health and Nutrition Section UNICEF Philip D o' Brien.
The Prime Minister said poverty alleviation, expansion of education, primary health care and family planning, environment consciousness and change of dietary habits are the significant issues for preventing malnutrition.
Prime Minister said the government had launched the Fourth Population and Health Project, the largest World Bank aided project in the Third World, at the root of which lay the plans for Improvement of maternal and child health.
She said we have also taken all efforts to expand universal primary health care, nutrition. education, control of preventable diseases. Expanded Programme of Immunisation and treatment facilities
Arrangements have been mudc for free distribution of Vitamin A tablets for prevention of blindness and production of sufficient quantity of iodized salt and Its easy mar ketlng had been ensured so that goitre caused by Iodine deficiency could be prevented. She said lodtzatlon of salt had been made compulsory by the next year.
The Prime Minister said the desired success tn dissem ination of nutrition education was achieved and the vulnerable groups of the villages had been brought to the focus of development activities through the "safety net programme."
The Prime Minister said "we are aware that there is no room for complacency at the success we have so far achieved. Our preparation, considering the enormity of the problem Is limited. We still have a long way to go."
Describing the Impact of malnutrition in the country the Prime Minister said about half of the newly-born babies have less than normal weight at the time of their birth which is the highest In the world, she said.
The Prime Minister said physical growth of about 60
per cent of female children and 55 per cent of male chll dren of the age group of six months to six years was re tarded due to the lack of nu trition. She said every year about 30.000 children become blind because of Vitamin A deficiency and half of them die within a few months
Begum Zia said one out of four women die just before or after delivery of child. Most of those who survive somehow again fall victim to Illness, dis cases and malnutrition, she said
The Prime Minister said the under such circumstances all concern should contribute their mite for the welfare of the country and should not depend solely on the govern menL
Laying emphasis on the child healthcare and nutrition she said they are the symbol of our hopes and aspirations. They are the Inheritors of our entity. A bright future had to be ensured for them through prevention of maternal and child malnutrition."
Calling upon all professional bodies, non governmental organisations and social workers to come forward with coordinated programmes tn this re gard. she said let us Invest our collective talent, wisdom and labour to attain the goal to brighten the future of the children.