Four down, one more to go! The National Nutrition Council – MIMAROPA Region finished the fourth leg of online Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) Provincial Association Meeting cooperated by barangay nutrition scholars and nutrition action officers from various municipalities of Palawan province and Puerto Princesa City last 9 November 2020 via Zoom Application.
The agenda were as follows: breastfeeding and COVID-19 FAQs for healthcare workers by WHO, milk donation policies during emergencies, SAM and MAM cases report per municipality and city, Regional Nutrition Committee Resolution No. 1, s. 2020, Regional Development Council No. 1, s. 2020-072-908, status of FBNS member contributions and funds, guidelines on Medical and Survivorship Assistance Requests and CSC Eligibility Application, submission of nutrition reports, and declared proposed plans and activities for the last quarter of year 2020.
“Kahit maraming trabaho, masaya pa ‘rin kami, okay pa ‘rin kami. Patuloy kaming nag-iingat para marami pa kaming matulungan” cheerfully stated by BNS President Edna Ayaton of Puerto Princesa City. Select BNS attendees blissfully shared their experiences as nutrition heroes in response to COVID-19. Some practices include prepared and distributed food rations such as rice meals, sopas, lugaw and arroz caldo to children, disseminated food packs to households, monitored underweight children and pregnant women through weight and MUAC measurement, gave vitamin supplementation to children and pregnant women, purchased malunggay capsules to lactating women, assisted in supplemental immunization to 0 to 23 months children, established “Kusina na Banwa” and “Kusina sa Barangay” benefited by 6-59 months old children, pregnant women and elderly, promoted “Gulayan sa Bakuran” to combat food insecurity, guarded at barangay quarantine facilities and checkpoints, delivered RUSF to SAM children and lastly, regular reminder to communities to observe health protocols. BNSs were grateful enough to their affectionate barangay officials for helping in delivering nutrition services to help deteriorate malnutrition in their localities. In courtesy to all volunteers, the NNC Secretariat will be issuing shirts as rewards.
The current situation is not a hindrance to commemorate the 46th Nutrition Month considering the public health safety protocols released by the DOH. Part of conducted activities were supplementary feeding to malnourished children, provided deworming, conducted mothers class, Pabasa sa Nutrisyon and municipal culmination program, continuous weight monitoring to malnourished children and promotion of backyard gardening to families with identified malnourished children.
The NNC Secretariat reminded the participants that donations of infant formula or powdered milk, teat or pacifier, commercial baby food and feeding bottle are prohibited in compliance to EO 51. In support to the Milk Code, the following orders were implemented: a) DOH AO 2006-0014: National Policies on Infant and Young Children and b) DOH AO 2007-0017: Guidelines on the Acceptance and Processing of Foreign and Local Donations during Emergency and Disaster Situations focuses on prohibiting donations of any breastmilk substitutes. A discussion on breastfeeding and COVID-19 FAQs by health workers released by the World Health Organization followed.
Guidelines and requirements in application for Medical Assistance, Survivorship Assistance and CSC Eiligibility were deliberated in a nutshell for future reference of the BNSs. Lastly, NNC Secretariat apprised attendees on the adaption of Regional Nutrition Cluster (RNC) Resolution No. 1, s. 2020: Seeking Support from RDC MIMAROPA to Request all Local Government Units in the Region to Provide Healthy and Nutritious Food Packs during Disasters, Calamities and Public Health Emergencies which was approved by the Regional Development Council (RDC) last 4 September 2020.
“Let us take care of ourselves because we are taking care of a lot of people in the community”, a heart-warming reminder from our NPC-OIC Blanco. (NKSLoyola)
Sources:
https://nnc.gov.ph/regional-offices/luzon/region-iv-b-mimaropa/3895-rnc-pushes-for-healthy-food-packs