NNC beefs up fight against malnutrition

CEBU, Philippines —  The National Nutrition Council (NNC) is strengthening its local government-led approach to combat malnutrition, focusing on protecting Filipino children during the critical first 1,000 days of life.

The initiative aims to improve nutrition outcomes among the country’s estimated 8.7 million children under five by giving local government units (LGUs) greater responsibility in implementing nutrition interventions.

Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary and NNC Executive Director IV Dr. Albert Francis E. Domingo said major nutrition funds, including allocations for dietary supplementation requested through the DOH’s Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, are intended to be downloaded directly to LGUs.

According to the NNC, the approach will allow local chief executives and community health and nutrition workers to take greater ownership of programs based on the specific needs of their communities while avoiding procurement and supply chain bottlenecks associated with centralized implementation.

The NNC is also revising its monitoring and evaluation system following concerns raised by senators over how LGU performance is measured.

Instead of focusing mainly on compliance with plans and administrative requirements, the Council is shifting toward outcome-based indicators, including reductions in the prevalence of child stunting, wasting and underweight.

The new approach will use multisectoral scorecards in coordination with agencies such as the Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education and Department of Social Welfare and Development.

A key component of the strategy is the expansion and institutionalization of the “Unang Yakap” First 1,000 Days benefit package in partnership with PhilHealth and the DOH.

The package covers interventions beginning before conception and continuing through pregnancy, childbirth and a child’s early years. These include food fortification, antenatal care, newborn vaccination, exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding until 59 months of age.

The NNC is also exploring ways to encourage families, including those outside the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), to regularly avail themselves of health and nutrition services.

Among the options being considered is linking routine visits to health centers with broader assistance and incentive programs, including food support.

At the community level, the NNC will rely heavily on its network of more than 42,000 Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS), who conduct household-level monitoring and mapping to identify and reach malnourished children, including those living in geographically isolated and hard-to-reach communities.

The Council said strengthening local implementation while measuring actual nutrition outcomes is essential to ensuring that government investments translate into measurable improvements in child health.

The NNC said its strategy remains anchored on protecting children during the first 1,000 days—from pre-conception through the first two years of life—while sustaining appropriate nutrition interventions throughout the early years to help build a healthier, stunting-free generation of Filipino children. (CEBU NEWS)