Plans for a national nutrition improvement program were unveiled at a seminar in Tashkent organized by UNICEF and the Uzbek ministries involved in the program, reported Uzbekistan News Agency. Participants included specialists in public health, education, food production, and representatives of social organizations. As highlighted by the news source, malnutrition increases the incidence of disease and reduces productivity among the population and is also a major factor in infant death rates in the country. Consequently, the matter is currently receiving special attention in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is one of the first Central Asian countries where the government has taken wide-ranging measures aimed at improving the health and nutrition of its population, the head of UNICEF’s representation in Uzbekistan Makhbub Shariff said at the presentation, reported the news agency.

This information was originally published on February 4, 2008. (www.uza.uz).