DOH pushes solution to malnutrition in CV

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Health-7 is exerting more efforts to address the slow reduction of malnutrition in Central Visayas to contribute to the achievement of one of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, the eradication of hunger.

This was according to DOH-7 director Jaime Bernadas after revealing that the number of malnourished children in the region since 2012 has only reduced to less than one percent.

“We need a drastic and effective intervention to address this problem considering that 2015 is only few months away,” said Bernadas.

Bernadas said that despite the slow progress in the malnutrition rate, the reduction has been continuous since 2011 with 5.92%; 2012 5.56% in 2012; and 5.4% in 2013.

He added that the less than one percent reduced prevalence of malnutrition yearly is already a good achievement if multiplied to the total number of children in the region.

According to the National Nutrition Council-7, the given malnutrition rates were taken from among pre-school children with ages 0-70 months old (1-6 years old).

Bernadas said that through the continuous campaigns and programs against malnutrition with the cooperation of the community, malnutrition will have a bigger percentage reduction in the following years.

“The best strategy for this is the integration and collaboration of everyone in spreading information about what and how to address the problem on nutrition,” said Bernadas.

In Cebu City, City Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Lucelle Mercado said the city has 68% malnutrition reduction since last year.

“We are very thankful that the city has special projects on ‘children malnutrition’ and an office under the Office of the Mayor also supported our advocacy, which funded us with P8 million,” said Mercado.

Meanwhile, nine towns in Central Visayas were awarded as outstanding performers in nutrition for 2013 during the 10th Regional Nutrition Action Officers’ Congress and Grand Nutrition Awards at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Lahug, Cebu City yesterday.

The event was one of the culminating activities of NNC -7’s annual celebration of Nutrition Month.

Regional Evaluation Team of the Regional Nutrition Council chose the awardees, which implemented the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition in their locality.

The Green Banner awards were awarded to the municipalities of Pamplona, Negros Oriental (90.99 %) as the outstanding town in the region and to Carmen, Bohol (89.09%) as the outstanding town in the province of Bohol.

Green banner award is given to the number one ranking municipality, city, or province in the region that effectively implemented PPAN.

The Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) award was given to Toledo City, Cebu after garnering three consecutive years of outstanding performance while Tubigon, Bohol was the latest awardee of the Nutrition Honor Award.

Another recognition, the Nutrition Honor Maintenance Award, was given to four municipalities including Inabanga, Bohol; Talibon, Bohol; Danao, Cebu; and Calape, Bohol.

The awarding was graced by Bohol Governor Edgardo Chatto since most of the awardees were from Bohol.

Melinda Cañares, chairperson of RET, said that their monitoring in the various areas in Region 7 will be a great move in the solution of the prevailing malnutrition.

RET has monitored and evaluated the four provinces, 14 cities, 17 municipalities, and 120 barangays in the entire region. — Samuelle Joyrin C. Caing, USJ-R MassComm Intern/NSA (FREEMAN)