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One does not have to be a nutritionist or health specialist to realise any food security issue arising from the unprecedented economic crisis faced by the country will have its impact on the nutritional levels of the country’s people.

The issue of malnutrition among children will inevitably impact the country’s future as it impacts not only the physical growth of children, but also their intellectual growth.  

It was therefore encouraging to note that last week Parliament set apart three days to discuss the fall out of the economic crisis and its impact on malnutrition.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa had called for a debate on the UNICEF report that highlighted that Sri Lanka was number six in the world’s index on malnutrition. Another UN Report placed the country second in the South Asian index for malnutrition.

But the debate itself was disappointing with members of Parliament unable to see eye to eye on the gravity of the problem and several questioning the validity of data contained in various reports put out by UN agencies and the warnings of nutrition experts.

This seemed to be a continuation of the Sri Lankan polity’s inability to come together and form an all-party or multi-party government on an agreed programme of work to face the economic crisis.

Parliamentarian Rohini Wijerathna who opened the debate, drew attention to the fact that in the rankings of global child malnutrition, Sri Lanka had been ranked 6th due to underweight children under the age of five, and had been ranked 2nd among countries facing severe malnutrition in South Asia.

The MP mentioned this while presenting the adjournment motion on “Malnutrition of Children and Mothers in Sri Lanka.”

The school teacher turned politico highlighted the fact that due to the economic crisis in the country, the prices of food had become unbearable day after day and children under the age of five were the most affected by this situation.

Ms. Wijerathna said it had been reported in the past that not having appropriate weight for height and not having appropriate height for age is a common condition among children under the age of five years and if this situation continued, the health status of the children and educational activities may be hindered.

However, contradicting the UNICEF report on malnutrition among children in Sri Lanka, Minister Ramesh Pathirana disagreed with the data contained in the report and said according to the latest data, the nutrition level of Sri Lankan children has been improving over the last two decades.

Participating in the debate in Parliament he said the latest data issued by the Health Ministry clearly stated there was a clear progress with regard to malnutrition among children where malnutrition which was 27.4 percent in 2009 reduced to 12.2 percent in 2021.

He said according to the Family Health Bureau and Health Ministry, malnutrition among children below five years in 2009 was 27.4 percent, 23.7 percent in 2010, 19.8 percent in 2011 and 15.6 percent in 2015.

However, Dr. Pathirana conceded that there is a possible risk of children’s nutrition level being reduced due to the economic situation in the country at present. He said several programmes have already been implemented together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to prevent such a situation from happening.

Despite rejection of the UNICEF report which said Sri Lanka has been ranked 6th among nations with high child malnutrition by the Health Ministry, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha told Parliament it was possible that malnutrition among school children may have increased last year given the country’s situation.

Joining the debate in Parliament, former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne decried the Government’s approach towards the problem.

“Unfortunately, the current government is trying to make the current nutrition crisis into a debate on definitions of malnutrition. This is probably because all people responsible for this disaster are in the current government, too. It is obvious that people are not eating enough now. Sources of protein are too expensive. Even grains are too expensive. Anything healthy is expensive. Because of this the growth of children is affected. Pregnant women are affected. The lack of protein is leading to all kinds of trouble,” he said.

The Health Ministry Secretary too rejected the report, highlighting UNICEF’s figures as not being conclusive.

“Unlike other countries, there is no risk of death and disease among children in Sri Lanka due to emaciation, and there is no risk of acute malnutrition such as marasmus or kwashiorkor.”

The observations of a medical specialist at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) is revealing.

“Due to the rise in the spread of COVID-19, the current economic crisis and lack of awareness about nutrition, the country is witnessing a greater change in nutritional status among children who are less than five years old and an increase in malnutrition,” LRH Consultant Pediatrician Deepal Perera said.

He told the media, that general malnutrition and malnutrition levels have increased, and children with skinny bodies bear witness to this.

“This situation can affect our country in the long run. If children suffer from malnutrition, they will not be able to continue with their studies and there is a possibility that they would be infected with many diseases,” Dr. Perera said.

These details were revealed during an investigation conducted at the LRH.

While the country’s legislators and officials quarrel about the veracity of malnutrition figures in the country, it is plain to any layman that people are eating less and less due to the current crisis. The absence of adequate food supplies and exorbitant prices must inevitably lead to a reduction of nutrition levels of not only children but even adults.

Even the production of Triposha, the nutrition supplement for children popular among the poorer sections of society, had been stopped for several months due to the economic crisis. According to reports, mercifully, the production of this supplement has now recommenced.

It is in the country’s national interest to recognise the extent of the problem and give it high priority in the Government’s attempts at damage control of the situation.

(javidyusuf@gmail.com)