Cebu City – The Central Visayas Regional Nutrition Cluster reminds the different private sectors, civilsociety and other organizations who plan to donate to the affected families or local government units of typhoon Odette not to include milk substitutes, including infant formula, powdered milk, feeding bottles, teats and commercial baby food in the emergency food packs.
The said reminder follows Executive Order 51 commonly known as the Philippine Milk Code of 1986 which aims to contribute to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants by the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and by ensuring the proper use of breastmilk substitutes and breastmilk supplements when these are necessary, based on adequate information and through appropriate marketing and distribution.
Furthermore, DOH Administrative Order No. 2007-0017 known as the “Guidelines on the Acceptance and Processing of Foreign and Local Donations during Emergency and Disaster Situations” states that Infant formula, breast-milk substitute, feeding bottles, artificial nipples, and teats shall not be items for donation and that no acceptance of donation shall be issued to these.
According to NNC 7 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Parolita A. Mission, these efforts are made to make sure that the nutritional status of the children will not deteriorate in time of emergencies. Dr. Mission further stressed that during disasters where scarcity of water in most barangays and evacuation areas are eminent, safe preparation of powdered milk is not guaranteed, therefore children are most vulnerable to diseases like diarrhea, acute gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and skin problems. With this challenge, breastfeeding should be intensified. “We are also requesting our local nutrition clusters to be vigilant in monitoring this order and utilize their existing infant and young child feeding services and mobilize their breastfeeding support groups to counsel mothers who are having difficulty breastfeeding their babies”.
The regional nutrition cluster on the other hand continues to visit the LGUs who are affected by typhoon Odette and conducts rapid nutrition assessment to check the nutritional status of our children and pregnant women, provide nutrition in emergency services, and coordinates with the local nutrition clusters to make sure that these vulnerable sectors are prioritized in the different nutrition interventions.
Typhoon Odette has brought devastations and hunger to a number of families in Region IVB, VI, VII, VIII and Caraga. But through the help of everyone, we especially the people of Central Visayas will all rise together and overcome this challenge. Thus, the phrase #BangonBisaya! // NVS
