LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, -- Stunting among under-five children in the province has decreased in the past three years.
The province has a stunting prevalence of 9.9 percent in 2017, was reduced to 9.27 percent in 2018 and almost two percent drop or 7.5 percent in 2019 based on the regular Operation Timbang.
For this achievement in line with the National Nutrition Month’s theme, “Batang Pinoy, Sana Tall… Iwas Stunting, Sama All!” and “Iwas ALL din sa COVID-19”, the province will be among the local government units that will be recognized in the regional virtual awarding ceremony on October 20, 2020 by the National Nutrition Council- Cordillera.
Apart from the provincial government, 11 municipal local government units in the province will also be awarded for the continuous decrease in stunting prevalence. These are Atok, Bakun, Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, La Trinidad, Tuba, and Tublay while those with below 10 percent recorded stunting are the municipalities of Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, Tuba, Tublay, Bokod, Mankayan, and Sablan.
Based on Provincial Health Office record for 2019, Kapangan and Kibungan have the highest recorded stunting at 20 and 18 percent, respectively.
Stunting is defined as impaired growth and development experienced due to poor nutrition. Children who are stunted are too short for their age.
According to the World Health Organization, childhood stunting is one of the most significant impediments to human development globally affecting approximately 162 million children under the age of 5 years.
It is largely an irreversible outcome of inadequate nutrition and repeated bouts of infection during the first 1000 days of a child’s life, a UNICEF press release stated. It added that children who are stunted do less well at school and earn lower wages as adults.
The drop in the prevalence of stunting in the province may be attributed to the health and nutrition-related undertakings of the LGUs such as micro-nutrient supplementation, feeding, nutrition education, counselling, livelihood, Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Amelia Cayap said.
The provincial government through the Provincial Nutrition Council also augmented LGU efforts such as micro-nutrient supplementation and conduct of trainings and capacity building.
Member agencies health and nutrition projects also contributed such as agriculture, social welfare, medicines, vaccines, among others, said Cayap.
Governor Melchor Diclas is happy to note that although there are still malnourished children in the province, he hopes to further reduce the malnutrition prevalence or totally eradicate it.
Diclas, a physician by profession, said the provincial government will allocate funding to address the malnutrition concerns in the province.
Cayap said the PNC plans to come up with a master list of identified malnourished children and focus efforts with the appropriate interventions among member-agencies and LGUs. She said the concern of all should be taken into consideration so that no one will be left behind.
(JDP/SCA-PIA CAR, Benguet)
