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Malnutrition to rise due to increased poverty and high food prices

Published

4 years ago

2022/09/13

Malnutrition will rise in the face of increased poverty and high food prices, the Sri Lanka Medical Nutrition Association, Nutrition Society of Sri Lanka, Dieticians’ Association and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) People’s Forum say.

Therefore, they urge the authorities to stabilise the gains achieved in nutrition status of the vulnerable in Sri Lanka, especially of children less than 5 years of age.

The associations say that there are three measurements of malnutrition that the world uses to compare the nutrition status of a country and the various regions. These measurements are assessed among children less than 5 years as all children grow in the same pattern and speed (trend) at this age as genetic differences do not come into play. Children under 5 therefore are considered as the sentinel or observation group of the whole of the population nutrition status. Any change in the diet is quickly reflected among children especially of this age. The measurements are weight-for-age, weight-for-height (thinness – wasting) and height-for-age (shortness – stunting)

Sri Lanka is currently the country with the least stunted children under 5 years in the South Asian Region with a prevalence of 11.5% (Stunting denotes low height for age as a result of chronic malnutrition). This situation was seen just before the current economic crisis.

Many of the South Asian countries have a stunting prevalence of over 30%. It is important to compare the prevalence of nutrition status among countries, at the same time, in order to have a level playing field.

Over the past 30 years,stunting or shortness, also known as chronic or long term malnutrition measured as height-for-age has continued to reduce, thus seeing a marked improvement among children in this age group. This improvement is due to the fact that the other form of childhood malnutrition, which is wasting or thinness, also known as acute or short term malnutrition which is measured by weight-for-height, has been arrested, before it converts into stunting or loss of height.

This positive trend in reducing chronic malnutrition can be attributed to the following:

1) Successive governments, whatever their ills, have been committed to supporting public health programs that have arrested wasting at the right time before it converts to stunting

2) The status of food and nutrition security not being compromised to an extent that is detrimental to nutrition status of the most vulnerable such as under 5s. This positive situation has been brought about by supplementary and therapeutic feeding for children under 5, micronutrient supplementation for pregnant and lactating mothers and children of this age group and beyond, growth monitoring and promotion meticulously done, food assistance programs and agricultural assistance to farmers to name a few of the interventions.

However, it is expected that malnutrition will rise in the face of increased poverty and high food prices brought about by the current crisis. Currently the levels of poverty have risen bringing it to 14% from a previous value of 6.7%. (Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan – UN Joint Assessment Sri Lanka, June to Sept 2022).This amounts to 700,000 families out of approximately 4.9 million, which are “nutritionally at risk”.

There should be a systematic program of intervention especially targeting these households and their vulnerable family members without piecemeal approaches on the part of the state and non-state actors.

The Sri Lanka Medical Nutrition Association, the Nutrition Society of Sri Lanka, the Dieticians Association and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) People’s Forum strongly urges all entities working on food and nutrition in Sri Lanka to act fast and in a coordinated approach to arrest the deterioration of these families.

Development organizations and the media are strongly urged to use accurate data and provide a balanced picture, when giving media exposure to the malnutrition status of Sri Lankans especially children. It is important to cite accurate current figures obtained from reputed organizations when communicating with the media.

The following interventions are recommended by the above associations:

1. Immediate supply of therapeutic food to the ≈27,000 children under 5 years who are severely malnourished.

2. Support by way of supplementary feeding for the ≈207,000 moderately malnourished children under 5 years.

3. Accelerate the existing mechanism to early identification and correction of growth faltering of children under five years to prevent acute malnutrition.

3. Household food and agriculture support should be provided to families of children who have begun to falter in their growth in order to prevent them reducing into the pile of the undernourished. Supplementary food is also important for these children. These growth faltering children amount to approximately 500,000, as seen through regular growth monitoring reports. It is also important to identify these children on time, before they start on a downward curve.

4. Support the popularizing of healthy and creative menus which include mixed curries and dishes, one dish meals and healthy snacks which are less cost intensive and easy to prepare.

5. Open “Sahana Salas” or shops which sell cheaper food of good value which will be accessible to all income groups.

The above-mentioned associations all have as our objective good nutrition and health of our citizens and we are available to collaborate with partners who come forward.

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Related Topics:Economy Crisis And Food prices high food prices

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Sri Lanka ITEC Alumni Association formally launched

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/10

Priyan

Sri Lankan professionals trained in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme have formed a national alumni association. The Sri Lanka ITEC Alumni Association was formally launched at its inaugural meeting on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Grand Crystal Ballroom of Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo.

The Association is a unique initiative of the Education Wing of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka. The Wing oversees India’s education and scholarship programmes for Sri Lanka, including the ITEC programme. The initiative was led by Sandeep Chaudhary, First Secretary (Education), High Commission of India. His vision and support were key to bringing Sri Lanka’s ITEC alumni together under one platform for the first time.

The Government of India launched ITEC in 1964, and it has since become one of the cornerstones of India’s development partnership with countries of the Global South. The programme is fully funded by the Government of India and offers civilian training in a wide range of fields, including public administration, finance, information technology, engineering, management, agriculture, health and the environment. Courses are delivered at leading Indian institutions. Over six decades, ITEC has trained officials and professionals from more than 160 partner countries. Sri Lanka has been one of its most active participants, and thousands of Sri Lankan public servants and professionals have benefited from the programme.

The new Association brings these alumni together from government, semi-government and private sector institutions. Its aims are to foster professional networking, knowledge sharing, capacity development and community service. It will also encourage collaboration among alumni and guide and support future Sri Lankan participants in ITEC programmes. In doing so, the Association seeks to deepen the long-standing friendship and people-to-people ties between Sri Lanka and India.

At the meeting, members elected an Executive Committee to lead the Association. Ms. Gayathri Suveendran was elected President. The other office-bearers are:

Vice Presidents: P.B. Hasith Sandaruwan and Leo Darshan
General Secretary: Anupa Weerarathne
Assistant Secretary: Vimukthi Dushantha
Treasurer: S. Rubadharshan
Assistant Treasurer: I. Ravikumar

Four sectoral committees will carry the Association’s work forward:

Establishment, Administration and Finance: Prof. M.I.M. Mujahid Hilal, M. Farwis, Milroy Aluthwatta, W.P. Suraweera, M.S. Thayaraj and Asinsala Senevirathne.

ICT, Digital Transformation and Innovation: Sujah Ameer, Danushka Diunugala, T.M.M. Perera, Tharanga, M.K.H.P. De Silva, Pubuditha Madushan and Arulkumaran Mahalingam.

Coordination, Organising and Legal Affairs: T. Srirajeevan, Theja Jayathilaka, Eng. A. Lingeswaran, Chaminda K. Uda, Kumuduni, S. Sinthujan and Ananda Arasu.

Media, Public Relations and Publications: Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi, Dr. Gayani Kaushalya, Anandi Premarathne, Vimukthi Dushantha, R. Suhanthan and Shyam Nuwan Ganewatta.

The founding of the Association marks a significant milestone for the ITEC community in Sri Lanka. It turns individual training experiences in India into a shared national resource, and it adds a new professional dimension to the enduring partnership between the two neighbours.

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Measures underway to protect Diyagama Forest as a Reserve — Deputy Minister of Environment

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/10

Priyan

The government is taking all necessary measures to protect the Diyagama forest area located in Homagama within the Colombo District, Deputy Minister of Environment, Anton Jayakody,
stated on Friday (9) while delivering a special address in Parliament.

Originally an abandoned plot of land, it has regenerated naturally over the past two decades into a sensitive ecosystem bearing the characteristics of a rainforest. With rapid urbanization, numerous wildlife species displaced across
the Colombo District have now migrated to and found sanctuary in this ecological haven.

Citing field research conducted by a team of scholars from the University of Colombo—including Prof. S.W. Ranwala, Prof. Ileperuma, and Prof. Abeykoon—the Deputy Minister pointed out that nearly 120 species of flora and fauna have been identified in the area. Among them are species endemic to Sri Lanka, as well as rare wildlife such as the red slender loris and pregnant animals close to giving birth, clearly testifying to the rich biodiversity thriving within this habitat.

Located adjacent to the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium and the Japan–Sri Lanka Friendship Baseball Ground, this green zone serves as a vital ecosystem for absorbing carbon
dioxide emitted by athletes and residents in the vicinity.

In addition to directly contributing toward Sri Lanka’s commitments under the Paris Agreement to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the forest also functions as a vital catchment area feeding into the Bolgoda water basin.

Accordingly, following the approval of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee (DCC) with the participation of the Divisional Secretary, government officials, and environmentalists, steps will be taken to submit a Cabinet paper to formally declare this valuable woodland a forest reserve, the Deputy Minister emphasized.

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NPP govt. reminded of its responsibilities as US warship leaves Colombo

Published

4 hours ago

2026/10/10

Thilina Walpola

Alireza Delkhosh

Stranded Iranian ships off SL:

Iran has reminded Sri Lanka that as a member of the UN the government is obligated to fulfil its responsibilities.

Iranian Ambassador Alireza Delkhosh in Colombo said that in terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 98) as well as SOLAS and SAR Conventions, Sri Lanka couldn’t refrain from providing the needs of the Iranian vessels stranded in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Ambassador Delkhosh was responding to a recent Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath’s declaration that neither the government nor private companies would provide food, water and medicine to these ships.

The Ambassador questioned how Sri Lanka accepted illegal and unilateral US sanctions against Iran, contrary to the JVP’s much touted historic anti-imperialistic manifesto.

The Iranian vessels are believed to be under constant US surveillance to prevent any supplies from getting through.

The Iranian Embassy made these comments as USS Tulsa (LCS 16), an Independence-variant littoral combat ship arrived in Colombo where it received supplies. The US Embassy declared that; ” this goodwill visit provides an opportunity to strengthen ties between US and Sri Lankan sailors while the ship refuels and resupplies before continuing its mission in the Indo-Pacific.”

Ambassador Delkhosh said that even if the above-mentioned Conventions weren’t adhered to, there existed, what he called, unwritten yet binding conventions that compelled Sri Lanka to assist. “It is the Convention of not forgetting past friendship and Convention of Humanitarian Actions.”

The Iranian envoy emphasised that these conventions that exempt no country from extending humanitarian aid, especially Sri Lanka, which, throughout its recent history, has been a recipient of Iranian assistance.

A section of the international media reported that Sri Lanka faced the risk of secondary sanctions from the United States if Sri Lanka allowed supplies to reach the stranded Iranian vessels. Twenty vessels are believed to be stranded in EEZ.

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Tehran, M.M. Zuhair, recalled how the Iranian government swiftly and decisively provided assistance, amidst western efforts to jeopardise the military campaign, by undermining the national economy.

As the war entered a crucial stage, the government found itself in an extremely difficult situation. Following talks at the highest level, Iran provided Sri Lanka with an interest-free and concessionary oil credit facility worth $1.05 billion to help obtain crude oil requirements, President’s Counsel Zuhair said.

If not for the rolling credit line, easing severe foreign exchange pressures, the Rajapakasa government could have faced an insurmountable challenge, the former diplomat said, adding that, unfortunately, those in decision-making positions now have forgotten the past. (SF)