PESHAWAR (APP): National Food Fortification Programme Nutrition International Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has arranged a one-day progress review meeting on its Wheat Flour Fortification Programme for KP and erstwhile FATA here on Monday.
Director Food Department Yasir Hassan and other food department officials, Representatives of the World Food Programme, and academia participated in the event.
In his inaugural speech Dr. Imtiaz Ali Shah, Provincial Program Manager of Nutrition International KP Chapter told the participants that Nutrition International has been improving health and nutrition in Pakistan since 2001.
Additionally, he told a team of more than 100 staff and consultants with an investment of $60 million in Pakistan since 2003 has been hired by nutritional international including $23 million directly spent on procuring and distributing vitamin A capsules.
While talking about the National Food Fortification Programme across the country Provincial Program Manager told that 992 mills in the country (75%) signed MOUs with the National food fortification program while it has installed 2,333 micro feeders at 992 mills leading to 35,000 metric tons of wheat flour fortification monthly. Moreover, 22 I-check laboratories for testing iron in fortified wheat flour have also been established.
While expressing his views on reaching millions with low-cost, high-impact interventions Dr. Imtiaz Ali Shah expressed that Approximately 20 million children receive two Vitamin A capsules every year, and more than 115 million people have gained access to iodized salt.
The initiative decreases severe iodine deficiency among mothers from 37% in 2001 to 4.6% currently and from 23% to 2% in school-aged children. Almost 5 million children received zinc and ORS to treat diarrhea, adequate fortification of wheat flour and edible oil to benefit 127 million people and increased coverage of birth packages for an additional 300,000 mothers and their babies.
“Nutrition International will continue its support till 2027 and will continue to scale up and sustain wheat flour fortification. Advocacy with the government for approval of the legislation, rules & regulations and cost transfer / absorption mechanism, capacity building of millers and government authorities in fortification of flour.