More than 200 participants consisting of Provincial/City/Municipal Nutrition Action Officers (P/C/MNAOs), District/City/Municipal Nutrition Program Coordinators (D/C/MNPCs), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs), DOH Nutritionist-Dietitian Deployment Project (NDDPs), and Nutrition staff attended the Online General Assembly for R9 P/C/MNAOs, D/C/MNPCs, and BNSs conducted by the National Nutrition Council Region IX via Google Meet on 15 January 2021 at 9AM.
Nutrition Program Coordinator Nimfa D. Ekong was happy to mention in her welcome message that a lot of participants were able to join and attend. She also thanked the LGUs for conducting a BNS special meeting in their respective municipalities for them to be able to attend the meeting online while still practicing the proper health protocols. She wished that this year would surpass the accomplishments of the previous year most especially in the improvement of the nutrition situation of the region with the help of the program implementers and partners.
The Online General Assembly was primarily conducted for the purpose of disseminating the NNC Memorandum No. 2020-010, which provides the regional offices and Local Government Units and other partners interim guidelines in the conduct of OPT Plus, Nutrition Screening, Growth Monitoring and Promotion Activities in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic and other related disasters. The contents of the said memo were discussed thoroughly by Nutrition Officer III Elton N. Pelegrino giving emphasis that activities to assess and monitor the nutritional status of the 0-59 months old children must continue to prevent deterioration of their nutritional status. These anthropometric measurement activities can be done in health facilities, community outreach programs and if the situation allows, through house-to-house visits using the traditional measuring equipment and MUAC tapes provided that strict infection prevention and control (IPC) measures must be observed. Important takeaways from the memorandum are proper disinfection of weight and height/length measuring tools, proper use of face masks, face shields and gloves by the OPT Team. Measurement schedule, recording and reporting of OPT Plus, nutrition screening, and growth monitoring were also presented.
Thereafter, Nutrition Officer I Zhalimar A. Jakaria-Patulada presented some information on the BNS Program regarding travelling allowance, and medical and survivorship assistance. On the other hand, Nutritionist-Dietitian IV Ms. Evelyn M. Capistrano of the Department of Health Region IX was recognized to impart on the newly devised age-specific projections to be used for the year 2021. Lastly, NO III Pelegrino also reminded the participants on their participation on the Nutrition Service Continuity Survey and the importance of organizing their respective Local Nutrition Clusters to respond during disasters and emergencies.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have brought restrictions to everybody’s movements to control the spread of the virus but NNC 9 is happy to note that with the use of modern technology, the conduct of the 1st General Assembly of R9 P/C/MNAOs, D/C/MNPCs, and BNSs was made successful virtually.
AA VI Cielo Katrina M. Mabalot
