Group asks LGUs to support scholars

CEBU, Philippines —  The National Nutrition Council (NNC)-7 has urged the different local government units (LGU) in Central Visayas to give barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) the appropriate support for them to perform their role during this pandemic.

NNC-7 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Parolita Mission said that BNS are tasked to identify and lobby for the care of the malnourished children in the community, help engage the community to act on nutrition-related concerns, coordinate key community personnel/organizations to address nutrition-related problems, and serve as documenter and secretariat to the Barangay Nutrition Committee’s activities.

She said that one of the most unacknowledged frontline workers are the BNS who are often overstretched to perform other functions, limiting their performance to do their basic tasks as the barangay’s focal person in nutrition.

Mission said that BNS, along with the rest of the frontliners, are risking their health and safety to make sure that families continue to receive the basic nutrition services.

"The objective is to ensure that appropriate interventions can still be provided to prevent further deterioration of the health and nutritional status of the at-risk individuals thereby decreasing their vulnerability to communicable diseases," Mission added.

BNS in areas like Tanjay City and Dumaguete City are distributing food packs that include fruits and vegetables to encourage people to consume healthier food.

Mission said that many LGUs have also started the provision of seedlings to households prioritizing the ones with malnourished children for better food security.

The BNS also plays an important role in ensuring that routine health and nutrition services still reach target groups such as the regular provision of Vitamin A supplementation to children six to 59 months.

Unique to Bayawan City in Negros Oriental is the provision of complementary food from the LGU-managed food plant which ensures that children receive much-needed nutrients.

During COVID-19 response, many BNS helped in the packing and distribution of food packs while some also assisted in the checkpoints and monitoring PUMs.

Apart from this, they conduct Rapid Nutrition Assessment using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tapes in the barangays to continue monitoring the nutritional status of children since Operation Timbang Plus is difficult to do with the strict implementation of social distancing.

They are also distributing Micronutrient Powder to preschool children, assisted in feeding activities, while some are able to mobilize their Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) support group to support mothers in need of counseling their young.  GAN (FREEMAN)