Fighting Malnutrition and Maternal Mortality: WHO’s Invisible Battles in Pakistan
Introduction: The Crises We Don’t Always See
In Pakistan, malnutrition doesn’t always make headlines. Neither does the death of a mother during childbirth in a far-off rural clinic.
But for the World Health Organization (WHO), these are emergencies that never stop — slow, silent, and deadly. Behind every statistic is a face, a family, a future cut short. And WHO’s mission is to change that — one child, one village, one policy at a time.
🍲 The Malnutrition Problem in Numbers
According to the National Nutrition Survey and WHO data:
- 38% of children under 5 in Pakistan are stunted (too short for their age)
- 7% suffer from wasting (dangerously low weight)
- Over 50% of women are anemic
- Malnutrition contributes to one in three child deaths
Most of these cases are preventable — and that’s where WHO steps in.
👩⚕️ WHO’s Approach to Ending Malnutrition
1. Community-Based Nutrition Programs
WHO helps implement CMAM (Community Management of Acute Malnutrition) models across flood-affected and remote districts, supporting:
- Mobile nutrition teams
- Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) distribution
- Growth monitoring & screening camps for under-5 children
- Breastfeeding counseling and maternal nutrition education
2. Micronutrient Supplementation
WHO partners with Pakistan’s health ministry to:
- Provide Vitamin A, Iron, and Folic Acid to mothers and children
- Improve nutrition awareness campaigns in schools and health centers
- Conduct salt iodization programs to prevent cognitive and developmental issues
🤰 Saving Mothers: Maternal Mortality in Pakistan
Every day, around 30 women die in Pakistan from complications during pregnancy or childbirth — most of them preventable.
Common Causes:
- Lack of skilled birth attendants
- Poor access to emergency obstetric care
- Delays in seeking help due to poverty or social norms
- High rate of adolescent pregnancies in rural regions
🏥 WHO’s Interventions on Maternal Health
1. Training Skilled Midwives & Birth Attendants
- WHO-supported training programs focus on safe delivery practices, infection control, and emergency referral systems
- Special focus on community midwives (CMWs) in areas where hospitals are out of reach
2. Maternal & Newborn Health Clinics
- Helped set up Basic Health Units (BHUs) in remote villages with maternal care facilities
- Distribution of delivery kits, newborn care packages, and mobile maternity vans
3. Policy & Advocacy
- Technical assistance to Pakistan’s National Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) Program
- Integration of family planning and reproductive health services in WHO programs
- Strengthening of birth registration and maternal health data systems
📍 Where WHO Focuses Its Efforts
Priority regions include:
- Tharparkar, Umerkot, and Badin (Sindh)
- Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur (Punjab)
- Killa Abdullah, Khuzdar (Balochistan)
- Tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
These areas are marked by high maternal deaths, severe child stunting, and poor access to clinics.
🤝 Partnerships That Make It Work
WHO works hand-in-hand with:
- UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP for nutrition and reproductive health
- Pakistan’s Ministry of Health
- Local NGOs and community health workers
By strengthening frontline health systems and empowering female health workers, WHO ensures that life-saving care reaches those who need it most.
📊 What Has Been Achieved (So Far)
- Over 500,000 children screened for malnutrition in 2023
- 100,000+ women reached with maternal nutrition counseling
- Hundreds of rural midwives trained in safe birth practices
- Reduction in maternal deaths in target districts where WHO’s programs are active
🧾 Final Thoughts: A Healthier Nation Starts with the Most Vulnerable
Malnutrition and maternal mortality don’t attract cameras — but they take more lives than disasters or pandemics. WHO’s fight in Pakistan is about more than numbers. It’s about giving every child the chance to grow, and every mother the right to survive childbirth.
“Health equity begins where the road ends — and WHO walks that last mile with us.”
— Community Health Worker, South Punjab
