BUTUAN CITY – Province of Agusan del Sur Nutrition Village located in Patin-ay, Prosperidad was awarded as Most Innovative and Sustained Malnutrition Management Project during the recently concluded Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony last November 29, 2022 at LMX Convention, Butuan City.

The establishment of the Nutrition Village answers the call of preventing malnutrition as stated Presidential Decree 491 signed on June 25, 1974. The Nutrition Village was established in the 1978.

From its establishment in 1978, the nutrition villages are still operating. It is composed of 7 mini houses, toilets, kitchen, dining rooms, various garden beds and pots, and small poultry houses. Fresh produced of the Nutri-Village are used for the preparation of meals intended for severely malnourished children.

Severely malnourished children referred by the hospital and recorded malnourished children through active case finding of the nutrition offices are confined in the village.

The child accompanied by one watcher (mother or father or guardian), are allowed to stay in the Nutri-Village without any cost for the whole duration of the rehabilitation process until the patient has fully recovered and released back to their homes.

Aside from the provision of shelter and nutritious meals, regular monitoring and check up are done to ensure fast recovery of admitted patients. In between learning sessions and counselling are also given to parents and guardians to ensure sustenance of health and nutritional care of the patient once discharged.

The village also serve as food garden. Vegetables and other produced are sold for reasonable prices available for locals and visitors. Produced are carefully handpicked and displayed for sale or even delivered to buyers. The income is then used for the operational expenses of the village. Through this, the village is sustained and well-maintained over the years.

The nutrition village is operated and managed by the Provincial Nutrition Office, under the Provincial Health Office. This sustainability at work project is a mere reflection of the provinces’ mission in reducing the malnutrition rate and great contribution to the health and nutrition of its people. #MAFernandez.