RAJSHAHI, March 29, 2021 (BSS) – Concerted efforts of all government and
non-government organizations concerned has become crucial to ensure nutritive
foods to the urban people for their sound health.
Many of the underprivileged and less-income households living in the urban
slum areas face malnutrition problems because of their economic
vulnerabilities and uncertainties.
So, integrated efforts together with holistic approach can be the best
ways of freeing the marginalized people from their malnutrition problems.
Social watchdogs and development activists came up with the observations
while addressing the ‘city level multi-sectoral nutrition coordination
committee meeting’ at city bhaban conference hall in Rajshahi today.
The meeting was organized on behalf of the Livelihood Improvement of Urban
Poor Community Project (LIUPCP) to discuss and devise ways and means on how
to mitigate the malnutrition problems being faced by the slum dwellers
collectively.
Local Government Division of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural
Development and Cooperatives has been implementing the LIUPCP in Rajshahi
city with financial and technical support of United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), Government of Bangladesh and Foreign Commonwealth
Development Office to reduce urban poverty.
LIUPCP Adviser Ariful Haque Kumar, Member-secretary Engineer Nur Islamm
Russer, Town Manager Abdul Kaium Mondal and Community Development Officer
Azizur Rahman addressed the meeting as resource persons with committee
president Dr Anjuman Ara Begum in the chair.
LIUPCP Nutritional Consultant Shamsunnahar gave an overview of the
nutritional aspects of the marginalized population during her multimedia
presentation.
She said emphasis should be given on enhancing maternal nutrition services
in basic health services through cancelling on maternal nutrition during
antenatal and postnatal cares at the facility and community level.
Besides, there is a need of providing micronutrient supplementation during
antenatal and postnatal cares. In his remarks, Ariful Haque said the
vulnerable population, mainly the poor urban women and children, must be
included in all nutrition and health services to improve their health status
so that they can contribute to the society as a whole.
Nur Islam Tusser told the meeting that the LIUPCP aims to achieve long-
term sustainable growth by eradicating urban poverty and Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030.
He mentioned that more than 55,000 slum people have come together in the
anti-poverty activities. The project has been designed to reach initially the
underserved urban population in the city and to promote livelihoods and
living conditions of 2.20 lakh poor people living in the urban areas.
He said UNDP has been working for more than one and half decades to
eradicate urban poverty in Bangladesh.