CHAGAI: Provincial Nutrition Directorate of Balochistan started the Food for Peace Project (FFPP) with the support of UNICEF to minimize the prevailing malnutrition among children caused by severe drought in Chagai district.

According to Aalam Iqbal, District Nutrition Coordinator, Five out Patient Therapeutic (OPT) centers have been established in DHQ Dalbandin, RHC’s of Chaghi and Nokkundi, BHU Taftan and Civil Dispensary of Lashkar Aab areas of Chagai district, respectively. “Children aged between 6 to 59 months are being screened thoroughly in OPT’s and the affected children are being given Ready To Use Therapeutic Food (RTUF) for two to four months which will help them to live a healthy life’’ Mr Iqbal described.

He said 1020 children were screened during December last year, resultantly 138 (13.5%) found severely malnourished while 210 were identified as moderate malnourished. According to him 25 out of 325 pregnant and lactating women were found malnourished during their screening course in the OPT’s.

He said the OPT’s were being run by Lady Health Workers (LHW) and other staff members of health department but unavailability of LHW’s in certain areas were creating hurdles for them. He hoped that five more OPT’s would be established in drought hit areas of Chaghi district which would expand their work reach.

According to available details outreach, targeted supplementary food program and stabilization centers are not running in Chagai district which are the most needed services of FFPP, particularly in Chagai district.