President Arif Alvi has called for a holistic health & education initiative

A multifaceted strategy is needed to address the challenges the country faces in the health and education sectors, according to President Arif Alvi on Monday.

An alarming total of 23 million of Pakistani children are not in school, the president said during a presentation about UNICEF's initiatives.

UNICEF Country Representative Abdullah Fadil briefed the meeting about UNICEF's role and achievements in Pakistan's health and education areas.

In his remarks, the President stated that educating these children would require more than a typical school setting. Rather, education needs to be more focused on digital developments, i.e. online learning.

As part of the meeting, UNICEF's country representative spoke about floods' impact on children and the support UNICEF provides to flood-affected communities.

As part of its efforts, UNICEF established 1,232 temporary learning centers and supported 180,889 children to learn.

In addition, he shared UNICEF's Five Year Plan (2023-27) to enhance Pakistan's education and health facilities.

In Pakistan, 40% of children under age five suffer from stunting, and, if this issue is addressed, the country's GDP could be increased considerably. Among the major health problems requiring urgent government action are mental health, malnutrition, and disability.

President Alvi stressed the importance of focusing on prevention of diseases, which would not only be cost-effective but would also reduce the burden of disease.

During his speech, the President commended UNICEF for its contribution to Pakistan's health and education sectors.