Claim that 30% Sri Lankan families go without food erroneous

World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director in Sri Lanka Dr. Mohamed Saleheen apologised to the Government of Sri Lanka for the statement made to the press that 30 per cent of families in Sri Lanka go without food for days, according to a joint media release issued by the WFP and the Health Ministry release.

The Government registered its protest with the WFP for the misleading and erroneous statement which got worldwide publicity.

Salaheen has accordingly backtracked on his assertion: "I have apologised to the Government of Sri Lanka for any embarrassment and misunderstanding that this has caused. There is no basis to sat that 30 per cent of Sri Lankan fmilies go without food for days."

He added while there is no basis to that statement, it relates to a rapid assessment done in April 2008 on targeted WFP beneficiaries in eight districts in Sri Lanka, it said.

Political analysts point out that this incident puts into question the adherence to research ethic by the WFP, and that it points to erroneous sampling bordering on mischief-making.

It is reported that the Government has initiated an investigation to find out if the WFP's statement is part of an orchestrated campaign by some UN agencies and INGOs to paintt a gloomy picture of Sri Lanka to project it as 'a failed state', the erroneous and unsubstantiated pet-term for many such organisations.

Meanwhile, a senior economist of the Central Bank in a report said that the statement is inaccurate. He states that Sri Lanka’s poverty indicators have dropped significantly due to the economic performance during past few years and due to the Government’s policies to reduce regional disparities.

Sri Lankan economy has maintained about six per cent economic growth over a period of three consecutive years. As a result of relatively high growth in per capita income which stood at US$ 1,068 in 2004 has risen to US $ 1,617 by the end of 2007. The unemployment rate has reduced to six per cent in 2007.

These developments have led to a sharp reduction in the poverty levels from around to 23 per cent in 2002 to around 15 per cent in 2007. He states that the paper report highlighting that Sri Lanka is one of the worst affected countries due to the spiralling cost of living where rice prices have doubled over the past years is highly inaccurate.

Although rice prices have increased significantly in international markets, Sri Lanka was able to manage the increasing rice prices through various policies particularly through the increased production. In fact, rice prices in the international markets have increased more than three times whilst domestic prices have only increased two times.

It is noteworthy that rice prices in Sri Lanka have reduced in real terms up to 2007 and the adjustments started to take place only in 2008 due to the global economic crisis. Sri Lanka being almost self-sufficient in rice production was able to manage the sharp increase in rice prices through local production.

On the other hand, increase in domestic prices have a favourable impact on lower income brackets in the economy particularly farmers.

Sri Lankan Government has spent US $ 1 billion in the year 2007 as the total food import bill. This is expected to be increased to US $ 1.4 billion in 2008. Total contributions made by outside agencies are less than one per cent of the total budget which is negligible.

Speaking on the nutritional status of Sri Lankans the total nutritional experts report that there had been a marked reduction of under-weight and stunting (chronic malnutrition) among children under five years of age over the last 30 years. Nutritional status of children under five years is considered as the benchmark to measure the nutritional status of a country.

Stunning in Sri Lanka has come down from 50 per cent in the year 1975 to a very low level of 18 per cent in 2006 which is a remarkable achievement made by us as considered by the world community. When the stunting level is less than 20 per cent in a country, which is considered the cut-off point, WHO considers that this country has achieved a low level of chronic malnutrition.

In fact, the World Bank, WHO and over UN agencies have taken Sri Lanka as a model in achieving this formidable levels in spite of being ravaged with war, natural and civil disturbances.

Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage has been invited by the Colombia University, USA to speak on this remarkable achievement to the world community sitting in a panel with the Chairman/World Bank, Executive Director/UNICEF and Executive Director/World Food Programme at the most prestigious World Nutrition Symposium in New York on September 11, 2008.

The objective of this symposium is to share the Sri Lankan best practices with other countries of similar economic background but having malnutrition as a more serious problem with a view to learning lessons from the Sri Lankan experience to improve their nutritional status.

The Health Ministry has noted that there had been a static level of wasting (acute malnutrition) among children under five years over the last 30 years. Currently it stands at 15 per cent but it was 15.5 per cent in the year 2000. When the wasting level is more than 14 per cent WHO considers it as an important public health issue increase of global food prices may affect dietary quality and meeting the micro nutrient requirements.

Considering all these factors Health Ministry has taken the following measures to strengthen the strategies undertaken to address the high level of wasting following the globally recommended approaches to the public.

* Improved exclusive breast feeding practices by mothers for six months with continued feeding up to two years. * Appropriate quality complementary feeding from six months onwards which is satisfactory at the moment.

* Addressing maternal nutritional status by ensuring adequate micronutrient and energy supplementation. This is being successfully carried out by the Government through the food basket for the pregnant mothers and the milk provided to children under the Mahinda Chintana programme.

Sri Lanka has been able to reduce anaemia and malnutrition of mothers from a high 60 per cent in the 1970s to the current level of 30 per cent which the Ministry considers as a major achievement. This would further be reduced effectively once the Mahinda Chintana programme is successfully implemented.

* Micronutrient supplementation programmes and the fortified food programmes have been launched by the health sector and is being conducted successfully to manage key micronutrient deficiencies such as Vitamin A, Iron and Iodine deficiencies in the country. Sri Lanka is proud to announce that it has eliminated Iodine deficiency through universal salt iodisation programmes. In fact it is one of the few countries in the region to achieve this.

Having identified malnutrition as a problem, the Government has taken it as a top priority in its national agenda as declared in its present budget by the President. In trying to find a way forward to solve this problem for the future generation, the Health Ministry has prepared a comprehensive National Nutrition Policy and National Plan to be implemented immediately.

Considering the fact that nutrition of the people could not be improved by the health sector alone this policy and the national plan has brought together all stakeholders in the Government, private and the NGO sectors in producing a national programme. Government is being supported financially and technically by UN agencies like WHO, UNICEF, WFP, FAO, UNDP and World Bank.

Therefore, based on the above facts, the Health Ministry wishes to state that the said press release by the WFP is incorrect. The Ministry regrets to note that such misrepresentation of facts can tarnish the good work done by the Government of Sri Lanka in solving a long-standing issue of malnutrition.