The University of Health Sciences (UHS), in collaboration with UNICEF, has launched the first phase of a capacity-building program aimed at integrating nutrition and child health interventions into the MBBS curriculum across Punjab. The initiative began with a three-day training workshop on Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), attended by medical educationists, pediatricians, public health experts, and healthcare trainers from medical colleges and teaching hospitals across the province.

The initiative began with a three-day training workshop on Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), attended by medical educationists, pediatricians, public health experts, and healthcare trainers from medical colleges and teaching hospitals across the province.

The program, organized by the UHS Department of International Linkages, is part of a four-phase initiative scheduled between May and June 2026.

The specialized trainings will focus on acute malnutrition management, infant and young child feeding (IYCF), early childhood development (ECD), and multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS).

Officials said the workshops aim to align undergraduate medical education with recommendations from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The ongoing CMAM workshop focuses on early detection, treatment, referral systems, stabilization care, supplementary feeding, and community-based follow-up for children suffering from severe and moderate acute malnutrition.

According to WHO estimates, around 45 million children under five worldwide suffer from acute malnutrition, while UNICEF data shows that one in three Pakistani children faces malnutrition or growth-related problems.

Addressing participants, UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said nutrition and early childhood health must become central components of medical education due to Pakistan’s rising burden of malnutrition and preventable childhood diseases.

He added that future doctors should be equipped with practical community-based skills to identify nutritional deficiencies early and respond effectively.

Prof. Najaf Masood of Allama Iqbal Medical College described acute malnutrition as a “silent emergency” and stressed the need for timely screening and community-level interventions to reduce avoidable child deaths.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Shahid Mahmood Sethi emphasized that nutrition education should become an essential part of undergraduate medical training to help future doctors better understand the medical and social factors affecting child and maternal health.

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