Ram Ashish Yadav, Speaker of the Madhesh Provincial Assembly, has emphasized the need for effective coordination among the provincial government, local bodies, and relevant stakeholders to reduce malnutrition. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the three-day provincial nutrition policy dialogue and summit held in Lalgarh and organized by the Health Directorate, he highlighted that nutrition is not limited to the health sector but is interconnected with education, agriculture, drinking water, sanitation, and social awareness.
Speaker Yadav noted that malnutrition among children and women remains a significant challenge in Madhesh Province. He stressed the importance of long-term policies, practical plans, and effective implementation to address this issue. Rupa Kumari Yadav, Chairperson of the Women, Children, and Social Justice Committee of the Madhesh Provincial Assembly, called for policies that prioritize women’s health, child rights, and nutrition security.
She pointed out that there is still a lack of awareness about nutrition in rural and marginalized communities and advocated for collaborative awareness campaigns with local governments. Dr. Pramod Yadav, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population, stated that nutrition is directly linked to population dynamics, highlighting that population growth, poverty, illiteracy, and imbalanced diets contribute to malnutrition challenges. During the conference, five working papers were presented covering nutrition, maternal and child health, adolescent nutrition, population status, food security, and the implementation of nutrition-friendly policies.
