Staff Reporter :
Production in the country’s garments sector is being hampered due to poor health of workers caused by malnutrition. Adequate nourishment can raise national productivity by 20 percent, according to Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
While presenting the keynote paper at a meeting, Moniruzzaman Bipul, portfolio lead of GAIN, a Swiss-based international organization, said about 43 percent ready-made garments (RMG) workers are suffering from malnutrition and about 7.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Bangladesh is lost annually due to anaemia among the workers.
Citing a report of World Health Organization (WHO), 2003, he said ensuring access to nutritious and safe food for the workers can ensure utilization of their productivity. The private and the public sectors can improve the health of workforces to reduce the burden of malnutrition.
He was addressing a regional sensitization meeting titled ‘Strengthening Workers’ Access to Pertinent Nutrition Opportunities (SWAPNO)’ at a hotel in the capital on Monday.
