Evaluation of Nutrition Surveys in Flood-affected Areas of Pakistan: Seeing the Unseen!

In 2010 Pakistan experienced the worst floods recorded in its history; millions of people were affected and thousands lost their lives. Nutrition assessment surveys led by UNICEF were conducted in flood-affected areas of Punjab and Sindh provinces to assess the nutrition status of children between 659 months while Aga Khan University (AKU) undertook a parallel assessment including micronutrient status in their project areas within Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab. Standardised Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transition (SMART) methodology was used. 881 children from Sindh, 1,143 from Punjab and 817 from AKU project areas were measured for anthropometry and their households were interviewed. The findings indicated that while immediate life-saving interventions were essential, there was also an urgent need to address chronic malnutrition. Through high-level dissemination of the survey results, treatment and prevention of malnutrition has become a priority for the provincial and federal government in Pakistan and for donors.