Thursday Dec 25, 2025
Thursday Dec 25, 2025
Thursday, 25 December 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday handed over 1,500 BP-5 supplementary nutritional food packs to the Health Ministry to address the immediate nutritional needs of young children affected by Cyclone Ditwah, marking a critical intervention amid rising concerns over child malnutrition in disaster-affected areas.
The fortified nutritional supplies were officially handed over by UNICEF Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Emma Brigham to Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa at the Ministry. The donation comprises a total of 20,000 kilograms of BP-5 supplementary nutritional food, designed to support children aged six months to five years who are at risk of moderate acute malnutrition.
BP-5 is an energy-dense supplementary food enriched with essential vitamins and minerals and can be consumed directly or prepared as a porridge. Produced using grain and vegetable protein, it is packaged in 500-gram packs containing nine bars and is widely used in emergency contexts to meet urgent nutritional needs.
Addressing the event, Dr. Jayatissa said the donation comes at a crucial time when Sri Lanka is facing significant challenges in child nutrition, exacerbated by the sudden impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
He noted that nutritional conditions in several vulnerable districts have worsened following the disaster, with additional safety and welfare centres having to be maintained for displaced families.
Under these circumstances, he said, the country’s existing Thriposha supplementary food program is not sufficient to meet increased demand, making the provision of BP-5 a vital intervention to prevent further deterioration in the nutritional status of children.
The Minister expressed gratitude to the UNICEF for its timely support and continued partnership, emphasising the importance of protecting maternal and child nutrition during post-disaster recovery efforts.
The UNICEF confirmed that the BP-5 supplies will be distributed across 19 districts, with priority given to areas hosting displaced families and communities with high numbers of young children at risk of malnutrition. Among the priority districts identified are Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, and Kilinochchi.
Brigham said this marks the first time BP-5 supplementary nutritional food is being used in Sri Lanka to address moderate acute malnutrition, drawing on global expertise while responding to local needs.
She said the initiative enables a timely and practical response at a critical moment for affected children and families.
UNICEF officials also stated that distribution will take place under the supervision of the Health Ministry and will be accompanied by clear explanations in all three national languages on what BP-5 is and how it should be used. The emergency nutrition supplies have received support from the German UNICEF National Committee, and UNICEF will continue to work closely with national authorities to ensure smooth and effective distribution.
Several senior officials attended the handover, including Additional Secretary Specialist Dr. W.K. Wickramasinghe, Deputy Director General Specialist Dr. Champika Wickramasinghe, and Head of the German Office in Sri Lanka Sarah Hasselbarth, along with medical specialists, and Health Ministry officials.
