The buffet tables of the resorts of Maldives are piled high with exotic juicy lobsters, barracudas, lush green salads and luscious fruits. Looking beyond this, what’s for dinner for the natives of the small islands? The sad truth is, a great percentage of Maldivians are underfed and suffering from malnutrition. A recent UNICEF survey shows that with a quarter of children under 5 suffering from stunted growth, the Maldives has one of the worst malnutrition rates in South Asia! (http://www.unicef.org/emerg/disasterinasia/index_30057.html) Should a nutritious meal cost u a lot? The price of fruits and vegetables in our markets are ridiculously high and therefore depriving us from taking a well balanced meal. In the islands the situation is worse. Small children are living on mere fish and rice where a vegetable curry is considered a luxury dish. Dietary guidelines recommend at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. However for us, Maldivians, this remains an impossible. The current hunger strike organised my Islamic democratic party is doing a good job bringing the issue to the government attention. High food costs can only lead to an underfed nation with various health issues. Nutrition should not be a privilege; it’s a necessity and a right of every human being. The irony in this issue is that the government continues to claim that they are serious about the malnutrition issue in the Maldives with various infomercials on state run Tele persuading the public to eat more fruits and vegetables, while charging huge amount of custom duties on the imports on fruits and vegetables. In my opinion, if the government is committed on this issue they need to reduce the import duties on fruits, vegetables and other healthy food items so that people can afford to buy them. Charging MRF5 for an orange or MRF40 per kilo of Cabbage is ridiculous. Moreover, the government should actively seek ways of bringing down the prices supporting the importers, subsidising or even bringing them through government controlled institutions such as STO. Malnutrition is certainly an issue which should not be overlooked if Maldives is to develop healthy and productive individuals for the future. The responsibility does not only rest on the government but also on parents and the public, in general, to ensure a healthy and a happy future for Maldives. Labels: article by hamdhun and fathun, photo- DO |
yes this is such a huge problem that has been ignored for long time.
nice article fathun..keep blogging..