NHK PROGRAMME AIMS TO INTRODUCE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AMONG CHILDREN

CHILDREN are our future and in order to ensure that we have a good future, we have to make sure that our children are healthy.

These were the views expressed by State Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarrar at the Nestlé Healthy Kids Day 2016 where she was the chief guest.

The day was celebrated by Nestlé Pakistan to mark educating more than 100,000 kids about nutrition, hygiene, hydration and an active lifestyle.

The NHK programme is a global initiative by Nestlé to introduce healthy lifestyle lessons to children from 6 to 16 years of age.

The curriculum-based programme, which is completely non-branded, covers topics of healthy eating, nutrition, hygiene and physical activity.

The program has reached out to more than 100,000 children in Pakistan and trained 427 teachers since its launch in 2010. Nestlé Pakistan is collaborating with 10 partners in Punjab, the Federal Capital, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

Pakistan is a food-surplus county but the rate of malnutrition among the population is alarming government remains committed to address this problem,

The state minister said that the government was doing all that it can to protect the health of the mother and the child, “Children are the most vulnerable part of society and require protection from disease and malnutrition,” she said. That is why she added, nutrition is also an important part of Vision 2025.

She called Nestlé Healthy Kids as an excellent example of the role corporate sector can play in promoting good nutrition.

Children from Federal Directorate of Education, Silver Oaks, Rawalpindi, Punjab Education Foundation, Punjab Workers Welfare Board Schools, Supreme Education School, Lahore; Trust for Education and Development of Deserving Students, Lahore; Care Foundation, The Educators Police Public School, Sargodha and Peshawar Model School (Project of City University, Peshawar) presented tableaus and took part in speech and quiz competition.

They also set up stalls as part of an art exhibition. The best performing students in all categories were given awards.

Bruno Olierhoek, MD Nestlé Pakistan, said, “As parents, nothing is more important than the future of our children and in shaping that, a healthy lifestyle plays a very important role. To be healthy means to be active, energetic and be academically smart.

As the number one nutrition, health and wellness company, we have a lot of knowledge and insights about food and nutrition and with you as partners we share this responsibility with you to implement this.”

The company wants to take the program to Balochistan in the near future.