16 November 2013, Villamor Airbase, Pasay City – A group of Filipino medical volunteers (Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina, Inc.), public and private hospitals, and mother support groups (L.A.T.C.H., Mommy Sense, Mommy Bright Start, Breastfeeding Pinays, Kaya and Arugaan) put up a mother and baby friendly space called “Nanay Bayanihan” tent at the Transition Staging Area in Villamor Air Base (VAB) in Pasay City. This is part of the project Bayanihan para sa Mag-Ina: A Unified Action for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies aimed at supporting mothers and protecting infants & young children during disaster situations.

Mothers and their young children 0-2 years old who are among the Typhoon Yolanda survivors flown to Manila via C130 after the debriefing are ushered to the Nanay Bayanihan tent. The tent was set up to provide space for the mothers with babies to rest and breastfeed their babies while waiting for their relatives to fetch them or vehicles to ferry them to their destination. Volunteer doctors and mothers who are breastfeeding advocates get information on infant feeding and counsel mothers on breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Other volunteers help make the mothers and babies rest and feel comfortable after their long journey from Tacloban and other parts of Eastern Visayas. They help mothers clean and change the baby’s clothing and diaper, play with the babies and young children while some even transport the survivors to the home of their relatives.

The nutritionists and breastfeeding support groups from Pasay Nutrition Office and technical staff from the National Nutrition Council Central Office and NCR are among the volunteers at the tent to assist mothers, counsel them on correct infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and give Vitamin A capsule to lactating mothers and 0-59 month old children.

The Nanay Bayanihan Tent at the VAB is operating round the clock. Hence, the Nanay Bayanihan is in need of volunteers to do the day and graveyard shifts. In response to this call for volunteers, the National Nutrition Council-NCR mobilized IYCF-trained nutritionists, Barangay Nutrition Scholars and breastfeeding support groups (BFSG) from different LGUs to render volunteer services at the tent to promote, support and protect breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding practices for young children. Correct IYCF can help avoid unnecessary illness and death of children especially during emergencies.

Contributor: NO III Meren L. Francia

(Photo courtesy of Pasay BNS Delia Tomas)