Karachi, November 18, 2022 (PPI-OT):Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Security/Chairperson BISP Benazir Income Support Program is playing an important role in providing target cash relief to 2.8 million flood affected families and the government has distributed an amount of 316 million dollars to these families. He said this while expressing his views during the meeting of the Executive Board of the World Food Program (WFP) in Italy.
He said that Pakistan is facing a big challenge to meet the food security targets by 2030. He told the participants that more than 33 million people have been affected by recent floods in 82 districts of Pakistan. About 650,000 pregnant women in Pakistan’s flood-affected areas face problems accessing maternity services. He added that nearly 4 million children lacked access to health services.
Appreciating the role of the World Food Programme, the Federal Minister said that WFP and BISP have formed a “conditional cash transfer program” in 15 districts to improve the health and nutrition situation in Pakistan.
The program provides a comprehensive package to pregnant and lactating women already enrolled in the BISP sponsorship program that includes awareness sessions on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition and hygiene practices; Provision of special nutritious food to PLW and children under two years of age; Includes antenatal and postnatal care services, routine child development monitoring and a course of immunizations.
The Federal Minister told the participants that WFP and BISP are working on the roll-out of the commercialization strategy. Additionally, WFP is also working on the strategy to exit the Beneficiary Development Program to the beneficiaries, so that even without WFP, Pakistan can work better to prevent stunting within its health system. He said that Pakistan is ready for better strategies for future disasters but the world needs to understand that this time can happen to anyone as climate change is a terrifying reality that affects the most vulnerable population.
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