Child undernourishment ‘alarming’ in South Asia: report

World map shows regional hunger index. India and Bangladesh are ranked as 'alarming' while Pakistan is ranked as 'serious'. SOURCE: IFPRI.ORG

KARACHI:?With the deadline to achieve Millennium Development Goals just five years away, 2010 Global Hunger Index report prepared by International Food Policy Research Institute IFPRI paints a gloomy picture of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Some 29 countries in these regions, it says, have levels of hunger that are alarming or extremely alarming.

Regional statistics

Among South Asian countries, India (67) was ranked lower than Pakistan (52) on index and only Bangladesh (68) was ranked below India.

Bangladesh, India & Timor-Leste have highest prevalence of underweight children, at around 40 per cent in Asia.

Global hunger index was calculated for 122 countries on the basis of child mortality rate, prevalence of underweight children and proportion of undernourished people in a country. Data on these parameters were sourced from Food & Agriculture Organization FAO, United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF & World Health Organization WHO.

Recommendations

The report recommends that interventions, using evidence-based and locally appropriate approaches, are required from conception stage up to age of two to bring down hunger levels. These include improving nutrition of pregnant and lactating women, promoting sound breastfeeding practices, improving hygiene, sanitation, giving essential vitamin supplements where necessary, promoting universal salt iodisation, immunisation.

The report says governments should adopt policies that deal with underlying causes of undernutrition like food insecurity, lack of access to health services, poor caring, feeding practices, which are exacerbated by poverty, gender inequity. But in India, where poverty can be said to be man-made feature, undernutrition is cause and not outcome of inability of people to make themselves food secure or have access to health services.

Few case studies mentioned in report express clearly helplessness of people to combat hunger in absence of resources. It describes hunger as discomfort associated with lack of food.

Undernutrition signifies deficiencies in protein, energy, essential vitamins, minerals and says it is caused by inadequate intake of food – either in quantity or quality. Nations in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa will fall not in overnutrition category but in “hungry” and, to an extent, “undernutrition” categories.

Download the complete report in PDF format here.

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BCCI silences report on Raina accompanying woman linked to bookie

CHF probes reason behind the BCCI report silence on the Raina be seen with a woman bound to a bookmaker illegal. PHOTO: AFP

India: International Cricket Council (ICC) fight against corruption and the security group is probing why Commission of control for cricket in India (BCCI) kept quiet on a report of his player Suresh Raina be seen in the company of a woman bound to an associate of a bookmaker. illegal

Make clear that Raina was not suspected of any wrongdoing, a major source of the ICC, said the incident is related to Sri Lanka, India Tour earlier this year.

CCTV cameras installed in the hotel of the Indian team showed that more than once, Raina was accompanied by a woman known to be a partner of a man who allegedly linked to a bookmaker.

A report, including the CCTV footage was presented by the Council of Cricket Sri Lanka to their Indian counterparts.

With the enhanced response to the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team 2009 Pakistan security concerns, Sri Lankans delegate a former General to deal with the Indian team.

According to the journal report is the response of the BCCI N Srinivasan Secretary the survey of ICC .Au instead of acting on the report, Srinivasan would have asked Sri Lankans to withdraw.

23 year-old Raina plays for Chennai Super Kings franchise IPL belonging to the Indian cast including Srinivasan is a Vice President and General Manager.

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Report on the illegal appointment of 451 teachers sought

Permanent Committee of the NA education took exception unlawful appointment of teachers at the IEDF.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly on education took strong exception to the unlawful appointment of 451 teachers in the Federal Directorate of education (IEDF) Islamabad and has established a 5 Member sub Committee to submit its report on the matter within three weeks.

With Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali as the Chairman, the Committee expressed his anguish at DG IEDF to present does not complete the appointments as directed by the Committee at the previous meeting of registration.

Mr. Nadeem Ahsan will lead the Subcommittee to probe the question.

The Committee has also established a Subcommittee Chair Shakeela Khanum submit his report on the draft law on the Academy of letters, Islamabad.

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