General Santos City, March 31, 2015 - Looking Beyond, Moving Forward and Working hand on hand to strengthen and build up a well nourished SOCCKSARGEN, we’ll work together to reach our goal.
The 1st Quarter Regional Nutrition Committee and Regional Nutrition Cluster Meeting were successfully conducted last March 27, 2015. The said meeting was presided by Assistant Regional Director of the Department of Health, Dr. Francisco V. Mateo. There were 12 members of the RNC coming from the various Regional Line Agencies which contributed to the success of the meeting and the RNC secretariat headed by NPC Arceli M. Latonio.
The Regional Nutrition Situation and the Updated Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition were presented to serve directive and guide for the committee members for further planning and assessment. Realizing the current Nutritional Status of the Region, The RNC members expressed great desire and commitment in developing more interventional programs/projects as well as firm implementation of these to address the nutrition situation in the region as well as to reach the Millennium Development Goal Targets.
Dr. Mateo directed RNC secretariat to prepare a research agenda and to tap State Colleges and Universities in the region to conduct research studies on the effect/impact of supplementary feeding. He also requested the RNC secretariat to prepare a resolution to inquire DOH how to access supply of Vitamin A to address the queries of some LGUs that micronutrient supplies are limited such as Vitamin A and Iron; and enjoining LGUs to procure height boards to complete the data of OPT plus on length and height.
Save the Children updated the group that their projects being implemented in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat will end on 2016 and they will open another project in Sarangani focusing on MNCHN.
On nutrition cluster, NPC Latonio updated the members on the proposed 2 batches of training on nutrition in emergency management for members of the regional nutrition cluster and selected nutrition workers to be funded by DOH XII. The activity is tentatively set on August and September 2015.
Dr. Mateo requested PopCom to discuss their U4U program and encouraged other members to present their nutrition-related activities next meeting.
