Highlights
A stunting prevention programme was launched in Balochistan Province and FATA.
WFP Pakistan initiated its first cash disbursement in its support to girls’ education.
The Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) Transition Model was implemented in Pakistan.
Cost of the Solution study to the nutrition problem in Pakistan has been initiated.
School safety and community-based disaster risk programmes are enhancing resilience and safety at schools and the community level.
Operational Updates
Stunting prevention programme launched in FATA and Balochistan
WFP Pakistan, in partnership with the Directorate of Health Services in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the government of Balochistan, has formally launched a stunting prevention programme for a period of three years in Kurram agency of FATA and in district Pishin of Balcohistan. The USAID supported programme will focus on preventing stunting during the ‘1000-day window of the opportunity’, the period between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday. The programme will benefit more than 75,000 and 20,000 nursing mothers and children in FATA and in Balochistan respectively. Moreover, capacity building trainings were held for department of health staff at the provincial level to support and implement the programme and ensure its sustainability.
WFP initiated cash assistance to FATA girl students
WFP Pakistan initiatied it’s first cash disbursement to girl students of middle and high school in FATA during September. Girls who attended atleast 80 percent of classes each month, are receiving their monthly cash grant. The programme seeks to support girls education in FATA by increasing retention and literacy rates among girls. Girl students and their mothers receive attend awareness sessions on the importance of nutrition and health and hygiene before receiving their monthly cash grant. “Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) Transition Model” implemented WFP Pakistan has implemented its CMAM transition model in the most food-insecure and vulnerable districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, AJK, Sindh and Balochistan, under which nutrition services were successfully handed over from its cooperating partners to district primary health care system. WFP has ensured the sustainability of nutrition services to malnourished children and mothers through capacity augmentation of the government primary health care system. The effective transitional model has proven to be eight times more cost efficient for WFP.
Cost of the Solution Study - Pakistan Cost of the Solution study is an operational research providing evidence for the nutrition community globally on cost-effective stunting reduction at scale through the government supported health system. WFP Pakistan is supporting the Government of Pakistan to carry out a study on "Cost of solution, closing the Gap: The Cost of Eradicating Chronic Undernutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies" in Pakistan. Based on this, an agreement between WFP Pakistan and Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is underway. The study will focus on the cost-effectiveness of nutritional programs in Pakistan and will help estimate the macro costs required to resolve the malnutrition crisis in Pakistan.
Enhancing resilience and safety at schools and the community level WFP is currently implementing Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) and School Safety programmes in hazard prone areas of Pakistan. Children, teachers, government officials and local community members have been educated, sensitized and trained on disaster preparedness and response planning through sessions. Local communities and children within and outside the schools have been equipped with around 242 school safety kits, search and rescue (SAR) tools and first aid kits to ensure a protective environment for them. This will enable the local communities and children to respond to disasters effectively.