LAHORE, Feb 17 (ABC): Nutrition International has urged the Punjab government to adopt mandatory food fortification to address malnutrition, which remains a major public health challenge in Pakistan.
Programme Manager Zameer Haider said Punjab, one of the country’s most populous provinces, faces high rates of stunting, wasting, and anaemia among children, along with widespread micronutrient deficiencies among women of reproductive age.
According to Nutrition International’s Cost of Inaction Tool, the economic burden of malnutrition in Pakistan exceeds USD 17 billion (PKR 4.76 trillion) annually. The losses stem from reduced productivity, increased healthcare costs, and diminished cognitive potential among children.
Data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2018 show that in Punjab, 31.5% of children under five suffer from stunting, 7.5% from wasting, and 21.2% are underweight. The survey further indicates that 42.2% of women and 52% of children under five are affected by anaemia.
Food fortification — the addition of essential micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, and vitamins A and D to commonly consumed staples including wheat flour, edible oil, and salt — is globally recognized as a highly cost-effective public health intervention. Estimates suggest that every dollar invested in fortification generates an average return of USD 27 through disease prevention, improved productivity, and enhanced lifetime earnings.
In Pakistan, fortifying a 20-kg bag of wheat flour costs approximately PKR 20, while fortifying one kilogram of edible oil costs about PKR 0.75. Officials describe the intervention as affordable and capable of reaching a wide segment of the population.
During a discussion session, participants noted that Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have already enacted mandatory fortification measures. They emphasized the need for Punjab, home to the country’s largest population and a major producer of wheat flour, to establish an enabling policy and regulatory framework to support sustainable food fortification and protect public health.
Speaking at a workshop, Zameer Haider, Senior Program Manager, Large Scale Food Fortification at Nutrition International, said that while many families consume sufficient calories, millions continue to suffer from hidden hunger — deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals that weaken immunity, impair cognitive development, and reduce economic productivity.
He said that as Punjab advances its “Healthy Punjab” vision under the leadership of the Chief Minister, preventive interventions such as food fortification can play a critical role in reducing the burden of micronutrient deficiencies alongside curative services.
He added that the media has a critical role in highlighting public health challenges and promoting informed public and policy dialogue to help create an enabling environment for sustainable solutions.
The call was made as part of Nutrition International’s continued efforts to advance the nutrition agenda in Pakistan.
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