John Dale C. Maningo, RND - The Cebu City Nutrition Office noted positive results of the Tutok Kainan Supplementation Program (TKSP). This was observed when Nutrition Officers Aldren D. Abarquez, Fel August A. Congson, Shaira Camille T. Labastida, John Dale C. Maningo, Suzette Jade M. Salado, Vanessa Lyka A. Salon, and Alyanna Seville, together with CNS of Barangay Pasil, Amelia T. Bagtong, and select City Nutrition Scholars (Barangay Nutrtition Scholars) Charlie Garcia, and Jocelyn Caparrida, conducted a post implementation monitoring of the program in Barangay Mambaling and Pasil from May to June 2021.
To recall, a total of 1,600 nutritionally at-risk pregnant women in Cebu City were enrolled in the Phase 1 TKSP. They received supplemental food for 90 calendar days. Beneficiaries were given a nutribun in the first and third months and wet feeding in the second month.
TKSP is a flagship program of the National Nutrition Council. This is a dietary supplementation of pregnant women and young children 6-23 months old, especially during the pandemic where livelihoods of the marginalized face many problems. Tutok Kainan is NNC’s COVID-response and a program that operationalizes RA 11148 or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act. The program aims to prevent stunting among children 0-23 months old by improving the quality and quantity of food and nutrient intakes and utilization of related ECCD F1KD services among nutritionally at-risk pregnant women and children 6-23 months old in the target program areas.
Studies have shown that stunting especially in the first 1000 days (that’s from conception until the age of two) has harmful consequences for the individual and society. These include low educational performance, low adult wages, lost productivity, increased risk of non-communicable diseases and even death.
Data have shown that all beneficiaries has significantly improved their nutritional status during the 3-month course of the program and have given birth naturally to very healthy babies with normal weights.
The beneficiaries appealed that the program be continued and adapted as one of the major programs for the city to benefit more nutritionally at-risk pregnant women. With the positive results of the TKSP, the Cebu City Nutrition Committee included the program in their Devolution Transition Plan.
