ISLAMABAD: The latest report by the World Bank has unveiled a distressing reality, indicating that a staggering 40 percent of children in Pakistan are grappling with food insecurity, with the majority lacking access to clean water, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address this dire situation.
According to the report, the lack of basic amenities poses a severe threat to the well-being of children under the age of five.
The WB report also reveals that 45 percent of deaths among children in this age group are attributed to inadequate access to food. Furthermore, the report underscores the alarming practice of malnourished children consuming soil, often contaminated with cattle dung.
The report emphasises the critical role of the first 1,000 days after birth in a child's cognitive development, during which nearly 80 percent of their mental faculties are formed. It points out that in Pakistan, a significant portion of children under the age of 5 are raised alongside livestock, exacerbating their vulnerability to unhygienic conditions.
Shedding light on the perilous state of water sources, it says in Sindh, approximately 50 percent of the water supplied to children is found to contain bacteria, largely due to inadequate hygiene practices, with mothers handling livestock without proper hand washing.
The World Bank stresses the urgency of developing a comprehensive data collection system to monitor child malnutrition in Pakistan, besides advocating for the immediate implementation of robust programmes aimed at addressing children's nutritional needs on an emergency basis.
In light of these alarming statistics, the report recommends that the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan prioritise the establishment of dedicated health programmes for children.
It suggests that an annual investment of 3 to 4 billion dollars over the next 15 years is crucial to mitigate the worsening crisis and secure the well-being of the nation's children.
Authorities are called upon to swiftly take action to combat this urgent issue, safeguarding the health and future of the younger generation.