Peshawar: Provincial Minister for Health Khaleeq ur Rehman chaired an important meeting with the Country Director and Representative of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Pakistan, Anita Hirsh, to review ongoing nutrition and maternal and child health initiatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Secretary Health Fayaz Ali Shah and senior officials of the Health Department also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, the WFP delegation briefed the Minister on its ongoing programmes in Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with particular focus on the Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP) and its contribution to reducing malnutrition and improving maternal and child health outcomes across the province.
The delegation informed the meeting that since 2020, the Benazir Nashonuma Programme has reached more than 1.4 million women and children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a network of 163 Nutrition Facilitation Centres. These centres provide growth monitoring, immunisation awareness sessions, conditional cash stipends, specialised nutritious food, multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), and screening and treatment services for moderate and severe acute malnutrition among mothers and children.
The Minister was informed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounts for 29.6 percent of the total Benazir Nashonuma Programme beneficiaries nationwide, making it the third-highest beneficiary province under the programme. The delegation further highlighted that the prevalence of stunting remains 48 percent in the newly merged districts compared to 40 percent in the settled areas of the province, underscoring the need for sustained nutrition interventions.
The meeting was also informed that in Khyber District, six out of nine Nutrition Facilitation Centres are operational, while the remaining three centres have been completed and are ready to commence services, further expanding access to quality nutrition services.
The delegation further briefed the Minister on WFP’s Integrated Climate Risk Management Project in Shangla and Buner, which focuses on community-based capacity-building and inclusive participation to strengthen resilience against climate-related challenges. The meeting was also informed about the Girls’ Education Stipend Programme, under which 24,368 students received stipends during 2025, while 15,203 students benefited during 2026. During 2026, PKR 321,193 was disbursed as cash stipends. Additionally, 30,000 informational booklets were distributed among adolescent girls, and 488 teachers were trained on nutrition and educational resource materials to promote awareness and healthy practices.
Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister for Health Khaleeq ur Rehman highly appreciated the valuable contributions and continued support of the World Food Programme in strengthening nutrition, maternal and child health, girls’ education and community resilience across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the provincial government considers WFP a trusted development partner and values its sustained commitment towards improving the well-being of vulnerable communities.
The Minister reaffirmed the Health Department’s commitment to working in close collaboration with the World Food Programme and assured the organisation of all possible support from the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the successful implementation and expansion of its initiatives in the province. He emphasised that the government remains fully committed to reducing malnutrition, combating stunting, strengthening nutrition services in underserved and newly merged districts, and investing in healthier mothers, children and adolescent girls.
“Together with our development partners, we will continue taking concrete steps to build a healthier, stronger and more prosperous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the Minister concluded.
