A recent report reveals that over 41% of women in Pakistan suffer from anemia, with 14.4% being underweight and 24% overweight. The report, developed by Nutrition International and presented at the ‘National Policy Dialogue on Economic Case for Maternal Nutrition’ in Bhurban, highlights the dire state of maternal nutrition in Pakistan. It notes a maternal mortality rate of 186 deaths per 100,000 live births, with 2,000 annual deaths from breast and ovarian cancer, and 1,100 from type-II diabetes due to inadequate breastfeeding. Additionally, there are 1.4 million cases of low birth weight each year.
The report emphasizes that Pakistan loses $17 billion annually—equivalent to 1% of global income—due to undernutrition. Low breastfeeding contributes to a $28 billion cost burden, with 6.9 million cases of diarrhea, 19,000 instances of child obesity, 30,525 child deaths from diarrhea and pneumonia, and 3,196 maternal deaths from cancer and diabetes.
Pakistan has the fourth highest prevalence of anemia in adolescent girls and women among South Asian countries and ranks 35th globally. Each year, 918,154 new cases of anemia are reported among pregnant women and adolescent girls aged 15 to 49.
In response to these issues, the federal government and various stakeholders, including WHO, UNICEF, and WFP, have endorsed the ‘Bhurban Declaration’. This commitment aims to accelerate the implementation of the Pakistan Maternal Nutrition Strategy 2022-27, integrate maternal nutrition into existing health services, increase public funding for maternal nutrition programs, and strengthen response mechanisms during emergencies.
Dr. Fouzia Hanif, deputy director of Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition at the federal health ministry, stressed the need for targeted interventions to break the cycle of malnutrition. Dr. Irfanullah of Nutrition International emphasized efforts to provide essential micronutrient supplementation, enhance healthcare provider capacity, and ensure quality care for positive pregnancy outcomes and safe births.
