Cebu City – Government hospitals in Central Visayas support NNC 7’s campaign for good nutrition specifically on the setting-up of vegetable gardens and use of iron-fortified rice. The Regional Implementation and Coordination Team (RICT) passed a resolution for the setting-up of hospital gardens among DOH – retained and LGU hospitals and the use of i-rice among admitted patients in all government hospitals in the region. The RICT resolution was passed during its 1st Quarter meeting held on 22 February 2012 at the Diamond Suites Hotel, Cebu City. NNC 7 strongly pushes for the hospitals to maintain their own gardens to ensure that the patients would receive fresh vegetables. It is also a cost-cutting strategy since the budget that was intended for the procurement of the food for the patients can be utilized for other purposes. The RICT resolution was very timely as the focus of this year’s Nutrition Month celebration is along vegetable promotion with the theme “Pagkain ng gulay ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain”. The theme emphasizes the importance of eating vegetables every day as part of healthy diet for good health.

NNC 7 is also advocating for the utilization of iron-fortified rice (I-rice) among government hospitals to help reduce Iron Deficiency Anemia in the region especially among pregnant women. The magnitude of pregnant women in the region who are suffering from anemia is high in Central Visayas based on the WHO standards.  The national prevalence is 42.5% while that of the region is 40.4%. NNC 7 believes that for I-rice to gain massive adoption, it should start with the government.

Department of Health Assistant Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial who was also present during the meeting commended RICT Central Visayas as one of the active RICTs in the country. A/Sec Ubial also talked about KP and that investing in KP is pursuant to the provisions of the Social Contract as stipulated in Section 7, EO 43 s 2011 of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino. She also challenged the RICT considering that 2 provinces (Cebu and Negros Oriental) in the region are where the problems are concentrated.

During the meeting, NPC Parolita A. Mission presented NNC 7’s 2011 accomplishments including the PGN (IYCF and Local Media), BNS Program and the series of KP orientations done by the regional office for the BNSs, D/CNPCs, P/CNAOs, RNC-TWG members. // DFB