President kicks off National Nutrition Walk

Monday, 21 July 2014 00:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday launched a National Nutrition Walk and Exhibition to raise awareness among the general public on improving nutrition for better health. National Nutrition Walk and Exhibition held this morning at the Industrial Technology Institute was organized by the National Nutrition Secretariat and Industrial Technology Institute. The walk started from the 3rd gate of Industrial Technology Institute, and proceeded through the streets of Colombo and arrived at the exhibition with 32 stalls at the Institute at Bauddhaloka Mawatha in Colombo.

President Rajapaksa joined the foot walk near the premises of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Patali Champika Ranwaka, Secretary to the Ministry Ms. Dhara Wijethilake and Chairman of the Industrial Technology Institute Prof. Wimaladharma Abeywickrema also joined the President for the walk. The Walk was organized in line with the national nutrition month in order to enlighten the public on the need to build a healthy population in the country. The 32 stalls of the exhibition, organized by the Food Division of the Industrial Technology Institute, displayed nutritious products of small and medium scale entrepreneurs who have obtained assistance and advice from the Institute. The government has observed that the country has entered a rapid phase of growth and development and therefore, adequate nutrition is essential for the workforce to be a physically and mentally fit productive human resource to meet the challenges. Sri Lanka’s National Nutrition Council in December last year introduced a Multi-Sector Action Plan for Nutrition compiled under the guidance of the President in line with the National Nutrition Policy declared by the Ministry of Health. According to the government, improvement of nutrition of all age groups and segments of the population up to the required level needs intervention not only from the health sector but also from stakeholders from other sectors such as education, agriculture, livestock etc. The Multi-Sector Action Plan for Nutrition comprises activities formulated by a panel of experts under the guidance of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) in keeping with globally accepted standards for nutrition.