A series of earthquakes struck Southern Mindanao. The latest earthquake was on December 15, 2019 with a magnitude of 6.8 that affected a large number of families in Davao del Sur. As per record, the recent earthquake was the fourth earthquake incidence in Mindanao with a magnitude of above 6 in the past 2 months with the first incidence occurring last October 16, 2019 with a magnitude of 6.3, respectively. The impact resulted to major and minor damage of households and infrastructures as well as livelihood in selected areas of the province. Families affected are temporarily sheltered at the evacuation sites with installed tents. The deployment of the Regional Nutrition Cluster team facilitates the assessment of the situation of the vulnerable group in the evacuation centers particularly the pregnant women and lactating mothers, infants and preschool children.
The Regional Nutrition Cluster team from National Nutrition Council XI in collaboration with the Provincial Nutrition Cluster team visited the earthquake affected areas in Davao del Sur last January 8, 2020 particularly the municipalities of Matanao, Padada, Hagonoy, Malalag and Kiblawan. Initial coordination is done with the Provincial and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council through their respective operation centers and command post. The purpose of the nutrition cluster teams’ visit is to determine the status of affected families particularly the vulnerable group to malnutrition. Coordination is also done to respective LGUs for the conduct of Nutrition Initial Needs Assessment and nutrition screening through Mid-Upper Arm Circumference for children below 5 years old per evacuation center as well as technical assistance in the provisions of Nutrition in Emergency (NIE) services and interventions.
DOH XI NDPs were the one administering the assessment and provision of services at the evacuation centers assisted by the volunteer Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Barangay Health Workers. The team closely coordinated with the LGUs through the respective NAOs and the NDPs for technical guidance on NIE services and interventions highlighting the Infant and Young Child Feeding through campaign of breastfeeding and complementary feeding among infants and children; Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition; Micronutrient Supplementation and Dietary Food Supplementation. They were also oriented on daily reporting of nutrition services given to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children 0-59 months old following the recommend flow of nutrition cluster reporting to DOH XI Health in Emergency Management Services (HEMS).
As per validation, DOH XI allocated commodities to LGU affected areas through the Provincial Health Office in Davao del Sur. The commodities allocated includes MUAC tapes for children and adult, supplementary foods and therapeutic foods like RUSF, RUTF and LNS-SQ, vitamin A supplements and Micronutrient Powder, among others. Nutrition Initial Needs Assessment (NINA) and rapid nutrition screening using MUAC is already done followed by the administration of NIE services to 54 evacuation centers from identified municipalities in the province. No reported cases of moderate and severely acute malnourished children were identified during the visit. However, reported nutritionally at-risk pregnant women and lactating mothers are existing in the evacuation centers with a total number of 42 individuals. RUSF for nutritionally at-risk pregnant women and lactating mothers are readily available for distribution complemented with nutrition counselling using the IYCF counselling card and some IEC materials on nutrition.
Close monitoring and timely and adequate distribution of health and nutrition services particularly to vulnerable group ensures protection and prevention from malnutrition as well as help build their resistance from infections while in the evacuation centers. (RML/MTLU/NNCXI)
