Nutrition Policy Round Table Meeting – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab Chapter

(Lahore, 11 March 2014) Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH) organised a Nutrition Policy Round Table Meeting for The Maternal and Newborn Health Programme Research Advocacy Fund Pakistan, a component of DFID and AusAID, committed to achieve MDGs 4 and 5.

Nur Center for Research & Policy (NCRP), the technical arm of the Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH) implemented the nutrition research project in Chakwal and Kohat districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa respectively. The evidence-generated is expected to make a compelling case for prioritizing and strengthening nutritional aspects of health and other programs. The project hereby has policy implications and was undertaken at an opportune time as the provinces are working on their nutritional strategies.

The seminar was attended by Khwaja Imran Nazir – Parliamentary Secretary for Health Punjab, Mrs. Shahima Rehman – Chariman FMH, Dr. Zafar Ikram – PPC MNCH Department, Dr. Zahida Sarwar – Additional Director (Tech) PSPU, Dr. Haroon Ihsan – CEO NCRP Dr. Tasleem Akhtar – Senior Technical Advisor NCRP, academicians, members of governmental departments and donor agencies, consultants, public health experts and the members of the media.

The subjected roundtable meeting served as a forum to review the research findings and challenges confronting Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in improving the nutritional status of adolescent girls. The recommendations from the participants will be shared with policy-makers, development partners, academicians and researchers.

Nur Center for Research & Policy (NCRP), endowed by Nur is a policy think tank that offers research, policy advice, technical assistance and capacity enhancement across the health, education and social sectors through a consortium of consultants and public health experts.