Municipality of Rodriguez, Rizal, Feb. 27 – To ensure the full growth and development of your baby, good nutrition throughout pregnancy is vital. Aside from good psychosocial stimulation to your baby, you (pregnant mother) need to consume enough nutrients to meet your baby's needs and your own.

As support for the pregnant mothers in Southville 8B, a resettlement site in Rodriguez, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) in cooperation with the local government of Rodriguez, will soon implement the Dietary Supplementation Program (DSP) for Pregnant Women. The program aims to provide additional food based on the caloric needs of all the pregnant mothers (300 kcal for normal BMI and 500 kcal for nutritionally-at-risk pregnant women) to prevent delivery of low birth weight babies. Complementing the program are the conduct of nutrition education classes. Medicinal supplements will also be given to the beneficiaries.

In line with this, a consultative meeting was held on February 6, 2020 as part of the social preparation activity on DSP led by Municipal Health Officer (MHO) and Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO), Dr. Carmela Javier and Rural Health Unit Physician and Assistant MNAO, Dr. Emily Ann Orocay. NNC Calabarzon Provincial Nutrition Coordinators (PNCs) for F1K were invited to provide technical assistance and answer queries re the DSP.

Further, a Grand Launching was held for the First 1000 Days (F1K) Program and the DSP for Pregnant Women on February 27 in Southville 8B, Rodriguez, Rizal. As a social preparation activity, it aimed to ensure that all those to be involved in the program, including those to receive the services understand the program’s objectives and their respective roles in the program.

The launching was attended by around 80 pregnant women residing in the barangay of Southville 8B, San Isidro in Rodriguez, Rizal. The MHO/MNAO, Dr. Carmela Javier, Assistant MNAO Dr. Emily Orocay, District Nutrition Program Coordinator (DNPC) Ms. Marie Claire Miranda of Rizal Provincial Health Office, members of Barangay San Isidro Nutrition Committee, midwives, Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Barangay Health Workers of Southville 8B, and staff of MHO have also participated and attended.

By: Zarah Clarice T. Megino