Punjab Doctors to Combat Child Malnutrition

The University of Health Sciences (UHS) in Punjab has initiated a significant four-part capacity-building program in collaboration with UNICEF. This initiative focuses on embedding vital nutrition and child health interventions directly into the MBBS curriculum across the province. The program commenced on Monday, May 19, 2026, with a three-day training workshop specifically addressing the community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM).

This comprehensive training, organized by the UHS department of international linkages, is scheduled to conduct four specialized workshops between May and June 2026. These sessions will cover CMAM, infant and young child feeding (IYCF), early childhood development (ECD), and multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS). The goal is to standardize nutrition education for undergraduate medical students, aligning it with recommendations from UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

Experts highlighted that nearly 45 million children globally under five suffer from acute malnutrition, with one in three Pakistani children facing related issues. UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore emphasized the university's commitment to public health priorities, stating that nutrition and early childhood health must become core components of medical training. He expressed confidence that this initiative will foster a more robust healthcare system for mothers and children in Punjab.

Distinguished faculty, including Prof. Najaf Masood and Prof. Dr. Shahid Mahmood Sethi, underscored the urgency of addressing acute malnutrition as a "silent emergency." They stressed the importance of timely screening and community-level interventions to prevent child mortality and ensure future doctors are equipped with both clinical knowledge and practical community-based skills to effectively manage nutritional deficiencies.