Headline April 02, 2017/ ''' *STUNTING* - STUPIDITIES '''

''' *STUNTING* - STUPIDITIES '''

DUTCH ENGINEER J VERSCHOR  and Swede genius  Percy Barnivik were two of the greatest business leaders, I had the unique privilege to watch grudgingly and admire privately.

Managing Director Verschor/ Hoogovens/Esmil Engineering/ GE Holland, and the great Percy Barnivik, Manging Director  ABB, formerly the BBC, the greatest electrical engineering giant in the world.

It was a dog's day: pouring rain and stormy,  as I alighted from the train. J Verschor, beaming as always, gave me an Honour Guard. 

After coffee at the plant,    the great man walked me  all over the plant, function by function, department by department, explaining the intricacies and mysteries of great assembly and manufacturing. 

Over a late lunch, he became emotional, while reminiscing of the great times that we had working together.  *He a Master and I a hopeless, Maverick.   

''A,'' he said, ''looking me in the eye, ''I hope your country, Pakistan, values you,  and learns from you.''

I laughed a bellyfull.  '' Pakistan, Sir,'' I said, ''is a great past  master in coming after its greatest sons and daughters.''  He stopped midway, at eating.............. '' Well,'' he said, with a faraway look in his eyes : ''So few countries in the world, have any kind of expertise in stunting   -stupidities''.

As always, the great man was just so right. 

'As you read this research and publishing, Sir,  I once again, pay you my great respects and the esteemed honour of always having learnt from your great intellect. God bless, you, Sir, and your family.'

In the Developing World, however, say, Pakistan, a different kind of Stunting surfaces it growing head and ugliness. 

UNICEF says that every third child  [33.5%] suffers from chronic malnutrition. *4.5 million children are stunted, 66% of the households cannot afford a nutritious diet,'' the report says.

''There are growing and significant disparities in nutrition between children/students from rural and urban backgrounds. Also children from educated mothers are less stunted,'' the report says.

Physical and mental growth of an individual is affected most by the nutrition he/she   gets from the moment of conception until five years of age.

''In Pakistan, half of the children/students are not growing fully when healthy life is every child's right''.

Malnutrition stunts the body and mind and is irreversible. It is caused by the lack of right minerals and vitamins,'' says Angela Kearney, UNICEF's representative in Pakistan, while addressing Media Workshop.

Stunting can be prevented by improved breastfeeding practices, by washing hands with soap and by giving fortified food. Exclusive breastfeeding in the first two years of life that is the first  1000 days can prevent stunting.

The damage done to a child's body and brain by stunting is irreversible. Women need to take fortified food, iron and  folic acid during pregnancy.

''What's hampering the country's development is stunting. A stunted child/'student is more likely to have hypertension, diabetes and runs a higher risk of obesity later,' says Kearney.

The UNICEF  report says  : ''Stunting causes between  22 and 45 percent reduction in Lifetime earnings.''

''Stunted translates into stunted immune systems, stunted brain development, stunted overall lifetime chances and adds up to stunted economic development. It contributed to 45% of preventable deaths.

It is responsible for annual  GDP  losses of  11%  in Asia and Africa,'' says Dr. Shehla Zaidi,  Director of Health Policy and Management Programme of the Agha Khan University.

She has done researching on stunting; its reasons, on how to save the population from further damage and the situation in Pakistan. Here is what she is willing to disclose:

''Between zero to five months 1 per cent babies/students face stunting. From six months to two years is a critical period for them   -it is during this period that humans face maximum stunting. 

Exclusive breast feeding in the first two years can prevent stunting but only 37% women in Pakistan do that. Brain development takes place in the first five years of life.

Stunting has a cyclical impact on generations.

We must worry about stunting  because under performance reduces overall life chances.'

There is a critical time window for action. It starts before conception. If the mother is weak, has deficiency   -that will pass on to the child.

A wide range of women [age 15 to 49 years]  suffers from anemia. Pakistan has the highest rate of anemia in South Asia   -52%. In one province, Punjab,  40%   of the mothers suffer from vitamin D deficiency while as many suffer from  Iron  deficiency.

The ratio  of  Stunting is also the highest in Pakistan among South Asian countries.

While the research continues at !WOW!............    You all ask: *All of you who are Heroes to the World*   for solutions?

Population control is becoming vital, so that expected economic growth can really start improving the financial status of a majority of students/citizens   in the Developing World.

In this situation as it is important in so many ways and  also so, to so many other problems,    -an educated mother can make a tremendous difference.

So, educate girls, and   mothers O''Leaders!

The Honour and Serving of the latest ''Operational Research'' on  *Students, Life and Living*  continues. In the best public address, please, share this research post all over the Developing World, and the World at large.

With respectful dedication to the Leaders, Parents, Students, Professors and Teachers of the world. See Ya all on !WOW!   -the World Students Society and  Twitter-!E-WOW!    -the Ecosystem 2011:

''' Health & Horrors '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless