The New Nation - Internet Edition

Talha Bin Habib

Shortage of funds and posting of non -technical persons to technical sectors are hampering the implementation of the nutrition programmes for all in the country.

The ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the assistance of donors launched a Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP) in 1998 for the improvement of health and family planning conditions of the country by ensuring nutrition for mother and children.

After ending of the HPSP programme in 2003 the government initiated another Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme (HNPSP) where 'nutrition' was also included as a sub-sector.

The HNPSP emphasises reducing malnutrition, mortality and fertility, promoting healthy life styles and reducing risk factors to human health from environmental, economic, social and behavioural causes.

Lack of coordination among concerned officials, negligence to duties and allocation of inadequate fund and posting of non-professional persons are seriously hampering the implementation of the programmes, said nutrition experts.

They claimed that appointment of non-technical persons to the key posts of the National Nutrition Programme (NNP) and Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN) is widely responsible for improper implementation of the national nutrition programme.

Out of Tk 32,000 crore budget for HNPSP programmes, only Tk 1,000 crore has been allocated for nutrition programme which is insufficient for the implementation of the programme, they added.

If the concerned ministry followed the recruitment rules by appointing the BCS officials (Health) who are experts on nutrition in the two said institutions then bringing dynamism in the field of health and nutrition sector could be possible.

Otherwise, the improvement of public health and socio-economic development of the country will not be possible, they opined.