Role of media to curb child malnutrition stressed
Participants pose for photograph with the resources persons and project personnel of a two-day training on 'Effective reporting on infant and young child nutrition' at the concluding session in Savar recently. Photo: Courtesy
Participants, in a two-day journalism training, have stressed media's role to mediate the impacts of undernourishment on health and economic development of the country. Journalists from both electronic and print media took part in the training titled effective reporting on infant and young child nutrition which was recently concluded in Savar, a press release said yesterday. The training was jointly organised by Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI), Unicef, Save the Children, and Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation with support of Alive & Thrive- a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Bangladesh. Senior Vice President Megan Sather of GMMB, partner of Alive & Thrive and a global communications firm, said poor nutrition is widespread in Bangladesh. More than 41 per cent of children (around 70 lakh) in Bangladesh are underweight, 43 per cent stunted or too short for their age, and 17 per cent wasted or too thin for their height, she said. This health situation has profound impacts on economy and development of the country, Megan added. She said poor child nutrition can be prevented by practicing Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) which addresses problems related to knowledge and skills, instead of dealing with poverty or food security. Megan prescribed that providing women and families with necessary tools and information for making best choices to feed their young children can help overcome this situation. MRDI Executive Director Hasibur Rahman said nutrition is an investment that pays for itself by reducing the impact of disease and cost of medication, and increasing productivity as well. He stressed for a proactive media for providing information to mothers and families, which can serve a role to easily mediate malnutrition. Experts and media gatekeepers conducted the training sessions on generating ideas for reporting on policies related to population, nutrition, health and food safety and security.
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