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Read more: Community kitchen and the bayanihan spirit in typhoon Odette hit areas of Siargao
Siargao Island -- After typhoon Odette hit the Island of Siargao, securing safe food and water sources were among the biggest challenges. Lokal Lab, a non-government organization, was able to secure funding from World Central Kitchen and coordinated with different community kitchen providers in Siargao in order to provide hot meals to families in different areas hit by the typhoon.
From December 24, 2021 up to date, the community kitchen providers have already served 905,036 meals to 94 barangays in the different municipalities in Siargao Island. Majority of the community kitchens will be finishing their service at the end of February, as they are already almost a few meals away from their target of reaching 1,000,000 meals served.
Bayanihan, which is one of the positive Filipino values that inspires a community to help each other out was seen in the volunteers who offered their resources to be able to purchase, prepare, transport and serve healthy hot meals to thousands of people in Siargao.
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- Category: Region Caraga
Read more: Let’s unite for dignity: end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination
Presidential Proclamation No. 467 declares the last week of February of every year as Leprosy Control Week. NNC Caraga joins the Leprosy Control Week with the theme “United for Dignity” by supporting the different programs and opportunities to raise awareness of the disease and calling for an end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination.
Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, is a curable infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae or M. lepromatosis bacteria, which causes damage to the skin and the peripheral nervous system. The disease develops slowly and results in skin lesions and deformities, most often affecting the cooler parts on the body like the eyes, nose, earlobes, hands, feet, and testicles. Leprosy is contagious but is considered only mildly contagious. Contracting of the disease usually occurs after long-term, and it could be months to years of contact with an untreated individual with the disease. It is passed from person to person through droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with an untreated individual with leprosy.
The signs and symptoms of leprosy include discolored patches of skin, usually flat, that may be numb and look faded (lighter than the skin around it), growths (nodules) on the skin, thick, stiff, or dry skin, painless ulcers on the soles of feet, painless swelling or lumps on the face or earlobes and loss of eyebrows or eyelashes. Currently, the most effective way to avoid the disease is the prevention of contact with droplets from nasal and other secretions from patients with untreated M. leprae infection. Treatment with appropriate antibiotics stops the person from spreading the disease. To also prevent illnesses and diseases, good nutrition and an active lifestyle keeps one’s body healthy and strengthens immunity. Included in the Nutritional guidelines for Filipinos, a nutrition message to prevent diseases through being physically active, making healthy food choices, managing stress, avoiding alcoholic beverages, and not smoking.
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- Category: Region Caraga
Basilisa, PDI-- On February 18, 2022, a Crash Course Training on the Philippine Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (PIMAM), Nutrition in Emergencies and Information Management (NiE-IM), Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E), Micronutrient Powder, Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) assessment, and Operation Timbang Plus (OPT+) was conducted to the rural health unit staff of the Municipality of Basilisa in the Province of Dinagat Islands (PDI).
The crash course aims to broaden the knowledge and skills of the rural health unit staff in assessing nutrition status and providing immediate interventions to vulnerable children. Basic knowledge of identifying moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severely acute malnutrition (SAM) in children and the simple protocol on the utilization of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) has been shared with the audience.
Likewise, nutrition in emergencies was introduced where different strategies and activities in the implementation of nutrition programs during emergencies are listed. It is providing Immediate Interventions to prevent further deterioration of the nutritional state among population group in the community.
Read more: Basilisa health workers trains on nutrition in emergencies
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Read more: Caraga-SDC endorses Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project
Butuan City--- In a virtual meeting conducted on 23 February 2022, the Social Development Committee (SDC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC) endorsed the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP).
The PMNP is a multisectoral nutrition approach to deliver a coordinated package of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions across the various local government unit (LGU) platforms together with a harmonized social behavior change and communication strategy.
Lead by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as main proponents, the project aims to increase the utilization of a package of nutrition–specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions and improve key health behaviors known to reduce stunting in targeted areas.
The projects consist of three major components. Component 1 focuses on strengthening the delivery of Nutrition and Primary Health Services. Component 2 directs Community Based Nutrition Service Delivery and Multi-sectoral Nutrition Convergence and Component 3 includes Institutional Strengthening, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Amongst the beneficiaries of said project are the LGUs with the highest burden of childhood stunting, children under five years old, pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and the sector in the poorest households.
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- Category: Region Caraga
Read more: NNC Caraga joins Leprosy Prevention and Control Week
The National Nutrition Council-Caraga joins in the promotion of Leprosy Prevention and Control Week pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 467 under the auspices of the Department of Health (DOH) in strengthening education and community awareness of leprosy. The observance aims to deepen public awareness of the disease, its prevention, and treatment.
Leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease, caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. Early signs include light patches or patches on the skin with loss of sensation, but more severe symptoms include loss of sensation and numbness in the hands, feet and face. It has been identified in children aged less than 1-year-old to 20 years. The average is about 4–5 years for tuberculoid leprosy (one or two well-defined lesions), and twice that for lepromatous leprosy (numerous flat or raised, poorly-defined shiny, smooth, symmetrically distributed lesions). cases have been identified in children aged less than 1-year-old.
In order to stop leprosy and its complications, strategies and action plans such as advancement of early case detection through active case-finding (e.g. campaigns), ensuring prompt start and adherence to treatment, including working towards improved treatment regimens, providing assistance in innovative approaches for training, referrals and sustaining expertise in leprosy, and promoting interventions for the prevention of infection and disease.
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- Category: Region Caraga
Butuan City --To assist in the effective information dissemination of good health and nutritional practices, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Caraga with the different local government units (LGUs) and media outfits in Butuan City convened on February 22, 2022, for the First Quarter Caraga Multi-sectoral Organization Envisioning an Empowered and Resourceful Society (MOVERS) Meeting in Almont Inland Resort and via Zoom Conferencing.
In his welcome message, Officer-in-Charge Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator (RNPC) Niño Archie Labordo said that this year, they are looking forward to a cohesive media group that may serve as change actors and prioritize nutrition as well as serve as the vehicle in scaling up the nutrition dissemination advocacy in the region.
Highlighted in the meeting is the National Nutrition Council Recall Survey which focuses on the awareness and recall of the promotional campaign on the “First 1000 Days of Life”; “10 Kumainments”, “2021 Nutrition Month”, and the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN); changes of Filipino diet during COVID pandemic to determine if Filipinos provide attention on nutrition as vital in promoting stronger immune systems; general public’s preferred sources of nutrition information; and perception about NNC.
