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Malnutrition, stunting prospects of Lankan children
Despite reasonable investments in health and education, Sri Lanka’s health authorities say they are foxed as to why Sri Lanka is on par with lowly-placed Africa when it comes to child malnutrition – instead of showing better results. Last week the health authorities, the World Bank and a number of other development partners launched a programme to figure out the “enigma” of malnutrition in Sri Lanka. According to the Health Ministry’s own data nearly one third of Sri Lankan children – 29 percent on average – are underweight. A bigger percentage – 30 percent – of women and children under five, are anaemic.
“The underweight rates go up to 40 percent in some areas but in some areas it is less than 29 percent,” said Dr Shanthi Gunawardena, director of the Nutrition Coordination Unit at the Ministry of Health, speaking to journalists after a conference on the subject. All the experts were very surprised by this discovery and the Health Ministry says it does not know for sure why Sri Lankan children are undernourished despite the many efforts by the Ministry to improve nutrition. “Although there is a problem of malnourishment, a lot of work is being done by the government,” said Dr Manil Fernando, Deputy Director General of the Public Health Services of the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health spends over Rs 500 million per year, on its nutrition improvement programme, Thriposha. This is in addition to various other nutrition related programmes under the health budget. The Ministry says it is difficult to say exactly how much is spent on these programmes. However, nutrition specialists from the World Bank politely point out that malnutrition levels in Sri Lanka are on par with African countries like Tanzania. “Sri Lanka has done extremely well in reducing child mortality and infant mortality and increasing life expectancy. But on the other side, the enigma to us, is why Sri Lanka’s malnourishment is so high. They are almost the same rates as Africa, but given the (higher) income difference it is difficult to understand why this is,” said Ms Meera Shekar, a senior nutrition specialist from the World Bank. What this means is, based on average incomes, so many Sri Lankan children should not be malnourished. “Sri Lanka does better than many other South Asian countries, but given that income rates are higher in Sri Lanka than many of these countries, Sri Lanka can be expected to do better,” said Shekar. In comparing other countries of the region, the experts say malnutrition rates are well over 40 percent in South Asian countries like Bangladesh and Afghanistan – but as both these countries are least developed countries it is difficult to understand how this can be of any comfort. On the South Asian comparison the World Bank expert says, “Sri Lanka’s malnourishment is around half these rates (South Asia) but Africa also has half that rate. For instance, Tanzania and Sri Lanka have the same rate of underweight instances.” The World Bank says that malnutrition rates are three times as high as you would expect from a country with Sri Lanka’s infant mortality. The Health Ministry agrees that the numbers are a little awkward. “Compared to South East Asia most of Sri Lanka’s indicators are good. But in malnutrition the indicators are a little behind,” says the Nutrition Coordination Unit in a statement. What a life The news that a great many Sri Lankan children, although successfully kept alive at birth, are not born into a great quality of life, should not come as a surprise. Over two years ago, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned of “alarming” malnutrition rates in the conflict-affected areas of Sri Lanka. Schoolchildren in conflict-affected areas of Sri Lanka suffer from such high levels of malnutrition that one out of every fourth child is "stunted" or too short for their age, said a study released by the United Nations World Food Programme in October 2003. The WFP survey found that nearly one in three children is "wasted" or far too thin for their height, in the north and east of the island. In these areas, said the WFP, malnutrition levels are at least twice as high as the national average. According to the study, 30 percent of the children surveyed were ‘wasted’ compared to the national average of 15 percent. The rate for ‘stunting’ was 26 percent compared to 17 percent at the national level. Underweight children constitute 50 percent of the study group compared to 30 percent nationwide. In the study group, 40 percent of the children had anaemia compared to 16 percent across the country. The WFP survey also said that girls receive only 69 percent, and boys 71 percent, of the Health Ministry’s specified daily energy requirement of 1,750 and 1,850 kilocalories. The children consume only 16 percent of the Vitamin A requirement and among other micro-nutrients, the calcium intake was 60 percent, niacin 79 percent and Vitamin C, 89 percent of the recommended allowance. The problem of malnutrition is also not only limited to the directly conflict affected parts of the island. The World Bank says that child malnutrition increases among the more under-developed and poorer parts of Lanka. “There are also great disparities in child
malnutrition across sectors, socio-economic strata and education
levels with highest rates found among the poor and in the poorest
provinces such as Uva and the estate sector,” said a statement
issued by the World Bank after last week’s conference on nutrition.
Click here to return to the top Offer to stabilise oil prices through hedging The article on the above subject published in The Sunday Times FT on June 25 where cost of fuel could have be capped at $40 compared to the market price of $70-72/per barrel, doesn’t convey the associated “risk factors” the government would have been exposed to had the oil prices dwindled or remained around the $40 mark, within a specified period of the option. Entering into contracts of such derivatives involves two parties – the “Buyer of the Derivative” (say the government) and the “Giver/Writer of the Derivative”. The argument that the cost could have been “capped” at around $40 per barrel, as against $70-$72/barrel, even after a lapse of four years, is irrational and misleading. The New York Mercantile Exchange (one of the places) where oil futures are traded, offer market players the facilities, to trade in derivatives. A market-player could either: * “Buy a forward option (call option) if he forecast, that the price of oil will rise during a “Specific Time Period” or * ‘Sell” a forward option (put option) if he forecast the opposite. Whichever option you may select, it has three vital elements. (a) The “PRICE” of the option (offered by the broker), in relation to the Current Market-Price (spot-price) (e.g. If the spot price is $70/barrel then the call option could be $72, sell option $68 and valid for one “specific period” only) (b) The “Premium” the player has to commit, ie the difference between the spot price and the call/sell option price (under (a) above), depending on the type of the option. (c) The “length of the option period”(option excercise date).ie, 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. The longer the period, the higher the premium, eg, if the spot price is $70 then the call-option would be either 72, 74, 76 or 78 for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, respectively. On the “exercise date”, if the spot price is below your call-option rate, then you would lose your premium only. In effect, you know the “maximum risk limit”. On the contrary, if the spot rate is above the call option rate, then you make a profit, by selling the option. For example, if a option of $72 has a spot rate of $75, then the profit is $3. The above explains the fundamentals of option, ignoring brokers commissions, tax, etc. Lankan expertise This being the case, why should a “capped position” of $40 be retained over a four-year period, when $72 could be realised immediately, generating an 80% profit? Thus, this unique proposal of this specialist is highly questionable. Further, when the authorities are confronted with such proposals, they should be a cardinal rule to obtain the authentic views of professional bodies like the dealer’s Association/Banker’s Association, who have the specialist knowledge on such matters. Click here to return to the top Uswatte completes 50 years of ‘sweet’ success The Uswatte Group, in celebrating 50 years of existence, said last week that it was proud at the generations of trust and confidence it has built among consumers and stakeholders alike. “The dream that was Uswatte Confectionary for the Perera brothers saw life with the advent of Glucorasa, a sweet which ended up being a product loved by one and all, in all parts of the country by people of all ages. This was followed by savoury Tipi Tips, jellies and wafers that have made a mark on the local and international stage. The company’s hallmark is its consistent uncompromising commitment to quality and taste, steered by the customer-centric vision of its management team and staff. Its main aim is to bring quality and goodness through every product, as children form a large part of the company’s consumer base. They also made sure that every product they introduced to the market reached every nook and corner of the country through thousands of small medium and large scale outlets,” a company statement, to mark the event, said. The real stamp of trust and quality comes from the hearts of consumers, who for generations have placed confidence in the Uswatte name; now a SuperBrand in our resplendent isle, it said. The Uswatte Group is one of the largest family-owned producers of consumable items in Sri Lanka, with a portfolio of products that has made its mark in every aspect of its product and marketing chain. “Uswatte regards its stakeholders with the same degree of esteem as its customers, and boasts an unblemished relationship with employees, health authorities and financial institutions. Its relationship with employees over the generations is probably the best example of Uswatte’s commitment to creating a positive and sustainable business ethic that has seeped into its every aspect,” the statement added. | ||||
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Children
that are malnourished up to the age of two years develop deficiencies
in learning abilities and feeding up in later years, cannot
reverse the damage caused to learning abilities at this early
stage. 
