ISLAMABAD, AUG 12 /DNA/ – It is an honor to be here on behalf of the United States of America as we hand over 486 metric tons of ready-to-use therapeutic food, which will treat approximately 29,000 Pakistani children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. To put that into context, it’s slightly more food by weight than a fully loaded 747 jumbo jet – plane and cargo both – a considerable amount that will save tens of thousands of young lives here in southern Pakistan. More than half of the assistance we are providing today will be used in Sindh province, with the rest going to Balochistan – the areas most affected by the catastrophic 2022 floods.Â
Since 2022, the United States has provided assistance to help the poorest and hardest hit by supporting Pakistan in meeting acute water, education and health needs. That includes nearly $100 million to address acute malnutrition in Pakistan, with $15 million dedicated specifically to treating severely malnourished children. With today’s donation, the United States has provided emergency food and health care to more than 317,000 Pakistani mothers and children. We have supported UNICEF and local Basic Health Units in providing screening and treatment to improve the health of children under five years old and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. U.S. support has enabled more than 779,000 front line health care workers to offer nutrition counseling to caregivers on optimal feeding practices for infants and young children to prevent malnutrition in the first place. And the United States has also helped Pakistan meet acute maternal health needs, including by donating equipment and kits to heroic community midwives whose work reduces maternal infant mortality by improving community access to timely, high-quality maternal health services.
We have and will continue to stand with Pakistan and its vulnerable communities as millions of Pakistanis work to recover and rebuild. That includes the work we are doing to address malnutrition, build more resilient education facilities, improve access to clean water and sanitation, and provide needed equipment to ensure better health outcomes for women and children. Millions of Pakistanis still need urgent support. The first 1,000 days after a child’s birth are the most critical to their cognitive and physical development. Nutrient deficiencies during this period can have lifelong consequences. We must act with urgency to address this crisis and save the lives of an entire generation of Pakistani children. The ready-to-use therapeutic food we are delivering today will provide at-risk Pakistani children the basic nutrition they need to grow, succeed in school, and live a healthy and productive life.
The fight against malnutrition is a complex challenge that requires a united effort. I want to commend especially the frontline health care workers, women’s and maternal health care providers, social service providers, doctors, and volunteers responding to the malnutrition crisis. Your work has saved countless lives. I’d like also to express the United States’ gratitude and appreciation to the Provincial Health Minister, the health department, UNICEF, and our other nutrition partners. Today’s handover is a testament to the United States’ enduring commitment to the Pakistani people, to Pakistani women and children, and to vulnerable communities. Because every Pakistani child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong, and to have the chance to reach their fullest potential.
