Save the Children Philippines launched its Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) Pilot Project in partnership with the City Government of Navotas in a short program held on March 9, 2016 at the North Bay Boulevard North (NBBN), Navotas City. This will be the first CMAM project in Luzon.
The program launch was attended by various stakeholders from the city of Navotas and the National Nutrition Council – National Capital Region (NNC-NCR) represented by Nutrition Officer II Theresa Rivas on behalf of Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Ms. Milagros Elisa Federizo. Barangay NBBN was chosen as the pilot project area for having the highest prevalence of wasting among children 0-59 months old based on the city’s 2015 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus results.
Barangay Chairperson Melvin Manalo of Brgy. NBBN, in his opening message, thanked Save the Children for choosing his barangay as the pilot area for the CMAM project. He expressed his and the community’s commitment to the project.
In his short talk, Save the Children Health and Nutrition Advisor Dr. Amado Parawan, explained the rationale of the CMAM project. He pointed out that the project involves timely detection of severe acute malnutrition in the community and provision of treatment for those without medical complications with ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) and other nutrient-dense foods in the home. If implemented with precision, CMAM can prevent deaths of wasted children.
RNPC Federizo, in her message delivered by NO II Rivas, commended the partnership of Save the Children and the city government of Navotas. She said that the CMAM project is an effective way to save the lives of children with acute malnutrition. It will not only help rehabilitate acutely malnourished children but it will also help empower the community in preventing, identifying, referring and managing children with acute malnutrition in their barangay.
“The solution to the problem of malnutrition needs the commitment and participation of the community in identifying who are the acutely malnourished and how they should be properly managed for nutrition rehabilitation.” NPC Mila Federizo said.
NNC-NCR supports Navotas City and Save the Children in their goal to improve the nutritional status of children and wishes for the success of the CMAM Pilot Project. (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC NCR)
