WHEN a country’s children go hungry, its future withers. In Pakistan, where over 40pc of children under five are stunted, nearly 18pc are wasted, and more than half suffer from anaemia, malnutrition threatens to undermine a generation. For a middle-income country with nuclear capabilities and significant agricultural output, such statistics are appalling. Yet amid this troubling landscape, there are glimmers of hope. Recent data from Sindh shows some progress. Infant mortality rates in the province now stand at 2.9pc, below the national average of 5.4pc. The province’s public hospitals are achieving mortality rates comparable to private institutions, demonstrating that public healthcare, when properly managed, can deliver satisfactory outcomes. This success stems from Sindh’s embrace of public-private partnerships in paediatric care. The establishment of emergency facilities across major cities and telemedicine services in 106 tehsils shows how strategic collaboration can expand healthcare access.
The disparity within territories is striking. Punjab, despite its greater resources, has established only two emergency rooms in Multan and Lahore. Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and other regions have made minimal progress, while KP and Azad Kashmir still lack paediatric emergency facilities. Sindh’s progress highlights the urgent need for similar initiatives across Pakistan. To begin with, Pakistan must address the basic issue of food security, with 7.9m people facing acute food insecurity. The successful public-private partnership model needs replication beyond Sindh’s borders. Moreover, there must be a greater focus on preventive care and nutrition education, particularly given that only 38pc of infants are exclusively breastfed in their first six months. Granted that the challenges are enormous — and include funding constraints and weak inter-sectoral coordination — but progress is possible with political will and smart partnerships. Pakistan’s economic future is in great peril. We can either invest in our children’s nutrition now or pay a far heavier price in lost potential and productivity. The clock is ticking.
(Editorial) Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2025
