CITY OF ILAGAN, ISABELA--------- The National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region 02 conducted the second batch of virtual orientation on the new Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI PRO) and Electronic Operation Timbang (e-OPT) Plus tools for municipalities of Batanes and some municipalities of other provinces last 12 May 2021 via Google meet.
The activity intended to orient all the nutrition workers in Region 02 on the updated MELLPI PRO and eOPT Plus tools. A total of 50 nutrition workers including Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs), District/City Nutrition Program Coordinators (D/CNPCs), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) and Nutritionist-Dietitians of Department of Health (DOH) were oriented during the second batch.
Ms. Maria Gisela Lonzaga, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, welcomed the participants. She acknowledged the efforts of nutrition workers for the continuous delivery of health and nutrition services amid COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are very happy that despite the challenging internet connection, and at the same time the ongoing pandemic, the municipalities of Batanes took time to join this orientation. The E OPT Plus for acute malnutrition was develop was developed to be used for rapid assessment during emergencies like this covid 19 pandemic or during typhoons and floods. There are also added features of the E OPT Plus tool that will make it easier for health and nutrition workers to determine the results of the OPT with ease and accuracy. This will be beneficial especially in the planning and implementation of nutrition programs in your area.” said NPC Lonzaga.
NO III Edzell Arcinue gave a brief overview of the new MELLPI Pro and the Operation Timbang Plus Minimum Health Standards and NO II Frances Vea Valdez demonstrated and explained how to properly measure using the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC).
NO II John Nestor Ballad facilitated the step-by-step demonstration on how to use the updated eOPT Plus tools. He encouraged the participants to read thoroughly the instruction sheet before using the tool. The barangay customization of the tools was made possible because of the 2021 DOH age-specific projected population, he added.
NO II Ballad highlighted the new key features of the tool such as the auto-fill of the population and auto-labelling of the Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) in the summary sheet. The updated tool will also count the number of mothers/caregivers of children classified with MAM or SAM and the number of children with incomplete information which will reflect in the summary table.
The nutrition workers expressed gratitude to NNC R02 for organizing the activity which gave them clear information on the updates of the eOPT Plus tools.
“ Sobrang thankful po kami sa NNC RO2 at inorganize nila ang ganitong activity dahil dito mas nagiging updated kami dito sa Batanes at mas napapabilis ang mga recording, consolidation at analyzsis ng ating mga data,” shared by Ms. Arminda Ros Delatado, DNPC of Province of Batanes.
Moreover, NNC R02 hopes that the updated eOPT Plus tools will help speed up the recording and reporting of the preschool children’s nutritional status that will determine timely and relevant nutrition responses and intervention. ###JNLB
