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Top priority
to meet nutritional needs of tsunami victims |
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The
Centre for National Operations (CNO) has given the highest
priority in meeting the nutritional requirements of affected
persons from the time the centre was set up to-date.
The role of the CNO has been to look at the total food needs
of the affected population and to coordinate all
arrangements between government, donor agencies, NGOs and
private individuals to meet this need.
Whilst the first priority is to meet the basic calorie and
protein requirement the second has been to add quality to
the diet by looking at dietary diversification and to cater
to those with special nutritional requirements.
These special groups include expectant and nursing mothers,
infants and children, the Government Information Department
said yesterday.
The initial food requirements of 5,600 metric tones was met
and exceeded in the first two weeks through purchases made
by the government's Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and
Reconciliation (RRR), the Ministry of Women's Empowerment
and Social Welfare, donations of the World Food Programme (WFP)
and certain other agencies.
The
WFP met most of the food requirements in this initial period
by providing 5,300 metric tones of food including rice,
dhal, and sugar and wheat flour for 750,000 persons.
Approximately 80 percent of this quantity was sent to the
North and East, with the remaining 20 percent being sent to
the South in accordance with the proportionate number of
affected persons.
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The CNO is including vegetables and fruits; to sources of
cereal - wheat and rice; and animal protein in the proposed
diet for affected persons to increase variety.
Vegetables have been supplied courtesy of the Sri Lanka Food
Processors Association, Asiri hospitals and the UNICEF.These vegetables have been airlifted to Ampara, Trincomalee
and Jaffna districts by the US marine corps. Batticaloa,
Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and the affected areas of the
Western and Southern provinces will receive fresh produce in
the coming week.
Several donor countries and the WFP have been approached
with the aim of obtaining protein rich canned fish and wheat
flour.
The WFP is donating 2,600 metric tones of fortified blended
food to expectant and nursing mothers and children between
six months and 10 years to satisfy needs of special groups.
This supplementary feeding program will be administered by
the provincial health sector and will be given in the form
of quantities for communal camp cooking or take home rations
for those affected but living outside camps. |
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