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The theme for this year’s National Disaster Resilience Month “Tamang Pamamahala’t Kahandaan, Kaalalaman at Pagtututulungan sa Sakuna at Pandemya’y Kalasag ng Bayan” calls for actions to prevent and reduce the damage caused by natural and human-induced emergencies and disasters, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Emergencies and disasters like fire, typhoons, earthquake, volcanic eruption among others, and now the COVID-19 pandemic can put the general population at risk to malnutrition. According to the World Food Programme, disasters are among the main drivers of hunger and malnutrition in the world. Pregnant and lactating mothers, infant and young children are at a greater risk of hunger and malnutrition during these difficult times. Ensuring good nutrition among these vulnerable groups will help mitigate the impact of disaster and improve their resilience.
Read more: Nutrition resilience, a disaster risk reduction response
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As the country gears up for the 2021 Nutrition Month Celebration in July, the National Nutrition Council at the National Capital Region (NNC-NCR) also prepares for the regional celebration amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nutrition Month (NM) is celebrated every July by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 491 to create awareness on the importance of good nutrition and disseminate information on nutrition-related concerns. This year’s theme, “Malnutrisyon patuloy na labanan, First 1000 Days tutukan!” focuses on the First 1000 Days strategy and the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPNA) as overall framework to prevent undernutrition and obesity.
Read more: NNC-NCR maximizes digital platforms for 2021 Nutrition Month Celebration
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Optimal infant and young child feeding practices provide the child the best protection and nutrition for proper growth and development. As recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first (6) months of life. This means that no other foods, either solid or liquid and even water should be given to the infant except for breastmilk. However, this becomes a challenge for breastfeeding mothers returning to work.
Based on the results of the 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) of the DOST-FNRI, the proportion of Filipino infants exclusively breastfed from birth until 5.9 months was low at 35.9% and average duration of exclusive breastfeeding is only 4.4 months.
In a 2018 study entitled “Breastfeeding Practices of Lactating Women in Selected Cities in Metropolitan Manila”, it was observed that mothers working full-time are less likely to continue breastfeeding exclusively upon returning to work. Some mothers practiced mixed feeding or totally shifted to providing infant formula to their babies. Thus, companies are encouraged to provide breastfeeding rooms with adequate storage facilities where mothers can store her expressed breastmilk while at work.
The Republic Act (RA) 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 mandates all public or private establishments, whether operating for profit or not, to support breastfeeding in the workplace through:
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The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. Kidneys are as important as the other vital organs in the body. If they stop working, our body will stop too.
June is National Kidney Month in accordance with the Presidential Proclamation No. 184 of 1993. This annual observance aims to raise awareness to the importance kidney health and the prevention of kidney diseases.
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True to its mission of providing its members with social benefits such as medical, retirement, and survivorship, the City/District Nutrition Program Coordinator (C/DNPC) of Metro Manila Association now provides medical assistance to members infected by COVID-19 virus.
In 2019, the Association has approved a resolution authorizing the provision of medical and survivorship assistance and retirement benefits to the members (http://bit.ly/CNDPCAssn_Reso1s2019). However, this resolution only authorizes the provision of medical assistance to members confined in a hospital.
Since many of the members contracted the COVID-19 virus, the Association through its Board of Directors unanimously agreed to provide medical assistance to all members who were hospitalized, quarantined at home or in an isolation facility due to COVID-19.
Read more: C/DNPC of Metro Manila Association provides COVID-19 medical assistance to members
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The month of June is National Dengue Awareness Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 1204 to raise public awareness on the prevention of this widespread disease. According to the Department of Health (DOH), dengue is an all-year-round public health threat but is heightened during the rainy season. It affects mostly infants, young children, and adults.
Dengue is an acute mosquito-borne viral infection common in tropical countries like the Philippines. The virus causing dengue is called dengue virus (DENV) which is transmitted through a bite of dengue-infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. According to the DOH, these mosquitoes can lay eggs in any space or container that holds clear and stagnant water like a bottle cap, dish dryer, plant axil, gutter, trash can, old rubber tire, etc. They usually bite between 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset and can be found inside and outside the house.
