LGUs asked to support national nutrition program

CEBU, Philippines — The National Nutrition Council-7 has urged local government units to support the council’s nutrition program.

NNC-7 has embarked on advocacy visit to different LGUs in Central Visayas to solicit support from the local chief executives. Regional nutrition program coordinator Parolita Mission yesterday visited Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.

Mission urged Cortes to step up the city’s Dietary Supplementation Program to include pregnant women aside from feeding the undernourished pre-school children ages below five years old.

The advocacy visit aims to ensure that nutrition program will be integrated in the LGU’s Local Development Plans like Local Development Investment Program (LDIP), Local Development Plan (LDP), and Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for budget allocation.

Mission said it is very important to give focus on pre-natal care where pregnant women are given micro nutrients supplements like iron and folic acid. This is one of the six critical interventions on nutrition.

“Aron atong ma ensure nga healthy ang mama ug ang iyang baby,” said Mission.

Mission emphasized the First 1,000 days of the child from the womb up to two years old which is critical and must be given proper nourishment so that the child won’t grow up underweight, wasted, or stunted.

Stunting is an irreversible outcome of poor nutrition and repeated bouts of infections during the child’s first 1000 days of life.

According to the NNC-7, under the Early Childhood Care and Development in the First 1000 Days (ECCD F1K), the DSP is one of the programs included in the Central Visayas Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022.

This strategy aims to prevent the occurrence of low birth weight infants during delivery and the onset of stunting among children less than two years old. It also helps improve the health and well-being of the mother.

Mission have been  emphasizing the importance of proper nutrition and healthcare for pregnant women and children ages zero to two-years-old, which is globally considered as the “golden window of opportunity” for interventions that aim to achieve maximum potential of a child’s growth and development.

Mission had said that the campaign aims to create awareness on the significance of good maternal nutrition and proper infant and young child feeding practices, particularly exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and giving of appropriate complementary food on the sixth month while continuing breastfeeding and the continuation of services in the early childhood care and development.

Mission added that children who are stunted have diminished cognitive and physical development, reduced productive capacity and poor health.

In Central Visayas, prevalence of stunting among children is 37.7 percent (one out of four) which is higher than the national prevalence of 33.4 percent (one out of three). (FREEMAN)