MALNUTRITION AND ITS TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES

MALNUTRITION AND ITS TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES

Karachi the biggest city of Pakistan where i saw baby girl  of 3 to 4 years old.I really struck with wonder to see that baby started to  inexplicably  lose her weight rapidly which was an alarming condition for her parents,as her mother was a domestic worker, living from hand to mouth, due rising inflation and limited salary.Initially they did not pay attention to their baby and kept on ignoring her as a normal routine issue.Near about After one month ,the mother ultimately approached her employer and informed him all about her baby's condition ,who first asked whether the child got sufficient to eat and if her diet was a proper and balanced one.The mother replied that the child almost got enough lentils  and vegetables though there was insufficient meat because of the inflation, cost-and that even when there was meat ,such as on the occasion of  Eid festival,it likely to go to her sons because they were older and needed it more and fortunately or unfortunately in our society sons are given more priority over the daughters.The girl was born with low birth weight and in the initial stage  of her life,when the mother was unemployed, unluckily did not obtain sufficient foods to eat because the family was financially hand to mouth and it was quite difficult to run a family with in limited income source, as the prices of daily utilities are touching the sky.Things were better now with her due to present  job.

Ultimately the baby was brought  to doctor to diagnose the disease and for further its treatment and remedial action ,After complete medical check up and observation it was revealed that the aforesaid child was suffering from various problems and deficiencies like insufficient vitamin and lack of iodine.The medical officer also elucidated that the girl was likely to be victim of inter generational  malnutrition given that,more over already this was the case with the  huge number of the poor in the country.The vitamin deficiencies could be compensated by the provision of respective medicine and proper food,but the terrible and adverse effect of malnutrition that had already penetrated and impacted the said child in utero and the critical initial,first two years of her life-physical stunting stop or Slower cognitive growth and  development etc_were unluckily permanent.

The countries like Pakistan,India and Bangladesh which are developing countries are showing horrible and shocking figure on malnutrition and high rate of stunting also have been watched in the headlines for several years. Now a days,there seems to be little bit understanding and awareness of the aforesaid problem In some areas a comprehensive campaign also launched to make familiar the people of these countries.Inter generational malnutrition commenced when the effects of malnutrition play out over successive generation ;under growing and nourished girls become under nourished mother who are already effected by, where children are therefor also under nourished in the same way .Particularly at the time of pregnancy and even later on because of poverty and financial crises,of these- the girls -already born and raised weaker than their potential-will go ultimately onto become malnourished mother. These devastating effects are very critical and complicated to resolve. 

In addition to this, the  discrimination girls come across  food wise problem  at the hands of male member of the family because in our society majority of female are at the mercy of male members.It is also a bitter reality  that there are a lot of girls who are married off far too early willingly or unwillingly have to encounter the same problem as mentioned back, particularly at the time of delivery when they bear children.

A general survey carried out by the World Food Program according to the information and data they collected indicates that globally malnourished mothers give birth to some where near about 17 million under weight infants every year which is an alarming figure..Among these,the ones that survive infancy face compromised critical health and cognitive growth for whole of their lives.According to this survey  they say that at a global  level maternal malnutrition accounts for 20% of child stunting .Referring particularly  to Pakistan According to the The National Nutrition Survey of Pakistan 2011 shows  that near about 44% of children in this country suffer stunted growth in their initial stage. More over according to the UN the third highest number in the world which is alarming figure for people of Pakistan and its government.

From aforesaid data it is concluded that  9.6 million Pakistani children that have suffered chronic nutritional deprivation in utero or during early age of childhood .As a result of this, Stunting and slow cognitive development indicate a  persons less able to do work to their full potential later in life ,thus increasing the poverty graph.The adverse effect of utero malnutrition can be treated and compensated for to some extent in initial stage of life,but at the age of 2 to 3 years when almost 80% of the brain ability and capacity has already grown and developed,the deficiencies have become permanent.

All above mentioned indicators and figures are very terrified and horrible in which millions of innocent children found themselves helpless and awaiting for remedial action from government as well as from public of their country.Poverty is the major restriction in the treatment of this dilemma.All developing countries like Pakistan,India,Bangladesh and Nepal etc facing financial crises and as we already know that strong economy is the back bone of every advance and developed country like USA,Germany,France,and China.So this malnutrition creates stress which directly effects the brain and mental activity of man.However we come to conclude that  the stress of it is such that people's performance,ability and judgement to to take decision  wisely is deeply impeded ,because the short term gains are so quickly and urgently required  and long term one's seem is not possible.Poverty,,directly restrict and slows down cognitive function and its adverse effects become visible and obvious with the passage of time.

In the light of aforesaid  research  and in the scenario of ground reality of these countries the future looks miserable and grim indeed;on the one hand,there are millions laboring in spite of poor cognitive development on the other,the bare sword of poverty is hanging over the head of these people .Hence,perhaps, the very gradual pace of success in the developing countries particularly in Pakistan's intervention initiatives -and there have been several over the decades to lift millions out of poverty and improve lives ultimately.