The National Nutrition Council Region 02 opened the e-learning course on Nutrition in Emergencies-Information Management (NIEM-IM) last 27 October 2020 via GoogleMeet. Just like most of the usual face-to-face programs, projects, and activities, NIEM-IM training shifted to digital platform this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The participants of the training will be from Quirino Province, cities of Cauayan and Tuguegarao, municipalities of Aparri, Buguey, and Camalanuigan of Cagayan Province, municipalities of Echague, Cabagan Ramon of Isabela Province, and municipality of Cabbaroguis in Quirino Province. These areas were identified based on the hazard map of the region. All 50 participants will embark to a 12-day blended learning, with offline and online sessions, to complete the e-learning course on NIEM-IM.

Same topics with the usual face-to-face NIEM-IM training will be covered except for the conduct of simulation exercise of the participants which will be done through alternative exercises. The expected output of the training is still a draft Disaster Risk Reduction and Management – Health – Nutrition in Emergencies (DRRM-H-NIEM) plan and their re-entry plans. All LGUs will also be digitally supported by the National Nutrition Council by providing them with digital equipment such as load allowance, flashdrives, external hard drive and even a prepaid internet modem of their choice. Participating LGUs will also receive anthropometric measurement tools such as hanging-type weighing scales, height boards, and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Tapes.

Sessions, discussions, and open forums will be held through virtual meetings using digital platforms such as GoogleMeet and Zoom. All outputs and modules will be uploaded in a Google Classroom were all the participants can watch the videos of the national facilitators from Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, UNICEF and World Food Programme. Regional facilitators will handle all their questions and clarifications through the virtual open forum. The outputs and exercises of the participants will also be uploaded in the Google Classroom. The whole course will run from October 27 to December 3, every Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Nutrition in Emergencies (NiE) refers to essential nutrition services that are components of disaster risk reduction and management aimed at preventing illness (morbidity), death (mortality) and worsening of malnutrition in affected populations, particularly in the most nutritionally vulnerable groups such as infants, children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and elderly. The Information Management for Emergencies is a systematic process for the collection, collation, storage, processing, verification, and analysis of data and dissemination to stakeholders, to support effective and timely action. - EMArcinue