19 May 2020, Cagayan de Oro City- The rapid spread of coronavirus disease commonly known as COVID-19 is affecting all populations globally. Its continuing crisis demands all health workers, allied health, uniformed personnel, and volunteers to unite and help each other in combatting the pandemic. The call on serving people affected by the virus did not only limit to individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 but existing assistance to the public in distress due to declared community quarantine.
Together with health and nutrition workers, the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) relentlessly render their service and act their responsibility as the frontliners in providing nutrition to each individual on reach. The released Nutrition Cluster Advisory Nos. 1 and 2, s.2020 emphasize recommendations to LGUs for nutrition actions and healthy and nutritious food practices amid the COVID-19 situation. As stated in the advisories, LGUs are to prioritize areas with high rates of nutritionally at-risk children aged 0-59 months old, and pregnant and lactating women to be monitored as vulnerable groups. As nutrition workers, BNSs with the supervision of their Nutrition Action Officers, District/City Nutrition Program coordinators and Barangay Nutrition Committee Chairpersons, aid in ensuring that the two (2) advisories issued are being delivered promptly. Nutrition Cluster Advisory Nos. 1 and 2.
Among the BNSs’ activities are the distribution of nutrition commodities such as LNS-SQ (lipid nutrient supplement paste in small quantity), vitamin A capsule, zinc, iron with folic acid, ferrous drops, ferrous sulfate, calcium carbonate, and multivitamins. In addition, monitoring severely acute malnourished children (SAM) and scheduled provision of RUTF (ready-to-use-therapeutic food) to children on outpatient therapeutic care (OTC) is highly given importance. BNSs likewise distribute RUSF (ready-to-use- supplementary food) to moderate acute malnourished (MAM) children of 6-59 months of age, and to nutritionally at-risk pregnant and lactating women. These volunteers make sure of the timely and appropriate delivery of LNS among 6-23 months old infants, pregnant and lactating women to their respective barangays.
Moreover, BNSs actively aid in packaging family food packs, making sure that it contains clean and nutritious foods consistent with the 10 Kumainments. LGUs are encouraged to include fresh dark green and dark yellow vegetables and fruits in the relief packs. Further, these nutrition volunteers facilitate distribution of the said relief packs while observing health standards, prioritizing families of undernourished children to ensure that the nutritional status of the affected populace will not deteriorate or worsen due to the impact of COVID-19.
BNSs help in the distribution of seeds to households and encourage family members to produce their own fresh and nutritious vegetables to help reduce family food expenses. This endeavor shortens food path to the family and will help sustain food availability and ensures food security within household.
As advocates of proper infant and young child feeding, it is on top concern of each BNS as COVID-19 heroes to ensure that infants, especially those 0-6 months old, receive optimum nutrition through breastmilk. Thus, they gave nutrition counseling to their target population groups and to encourage all pregnant and lactating women in the community to continually breastfeed infants.
Aside from delivering nutrition programs and activities, Barangay Nutrition Scholars also extend support together with quarantine officials and volunteers in manning border points in their barangays to safeguard and monitor entry and exit of individuals in the respective LGUs. They are also members of BHERTs (Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams) as they aid in contract tracing, monitoring of PUMs (Persons Under Monitoring), assist checking of body temperature, provide sanitation, and give away leaflets to passers-by. They also aid in issuance of quarantine pass after a thorough examination and not showing any signs and symptoms of the virus.
In this time of pandemic where everyone is affected and mandated to stay at home for their own safety, BNSs choose to risks their lives in the exigency of public service. Barangay Nutrition Scholars— heroes of nutrition yesterday, today and tomorrow. Salute! (ND II Angelique Jean Maggay)
