Consolacion, Cebu – Good nutrition is the fuel that drives healthy growth and development and can help prevent disease throughout the life course. This was the gist of the message of Dr. Jaime S. Bernadas, Regional Director of DOH CV CHD and Chairperson of the Regional Nutrition Committee as relayed by Dr. Jonathan Niel V. Erasmo, Chief Local Health Division of DOH CV CHD during the Regional Launch of the 48th Nutrition Month celebration of Central Visayas held on 01 July 2022 at the Event Center, SM City Consolacion, Cebu.
The National Nutrition Council Region VII thru the Regional Nutrition Committee in cooperation with Cebu Provincial Nutrition Committee and Consolacion Municipal Nutrition Committee spearheaded the launching event that focused on the theme “New normal na nutrisyon, sama-samang gawan ng solusyon!” The soft launching of Tutok Kainan Supplementation Program Phase 3 and 4 and booth display of nutrition interventions in the new normal highlighted the launching event. The booths were presented by DOH CV CHD, NDA Visayas, FEED the Children, Nutridense Food Manufacturing Corp., Bright Star/PAN Cebu Chapter, and NDAP Cebu Chapter/USC Department of Nutrition and Dietetics for the nutrition-specific interventions. The DA RFO 7, and DOST 7 took charge of the booth that displayed nutrition sensitive interventions while NEDA 7, DILG 7 and DBM 7 manned the booth for the enabling programs.
Nutrition Month is an annual campaign held every July to create greater awareness among Filipinos on the importance of nutrition as provided under Presidential Decree 491, or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines. This year’s theme calls for a strengthen nutrition interventions as well solidarity towards nutrition improvement as the nation shift towards living with the COVID-19 virus.
RNC Chair Bernadas further said that this year’s theme drives the economic prosperity for a strong and healthy workforce as this is the engine of development. A nourished community can lead the elimination of sizeable portion of the overall burden of diseases which correlates to the theme New Normal that is already adopted to signify the transition to a better normal which brings the positive impacts of pandemic to become more resilient. The pandemic has brought impacts in nutrition most specially in the increase of hunger incidence in the nation, he added. Dr. Bernadas, as quoted by Dr. Erasmo further mentioned the positive sequel and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that leads the country in making innovations in nutrition service delivery, better home food production, increase awareness in health and assessing health diets, and found solidarity in every countryman to help each other.
The Regional Director reiterated that the DOH CVCHD is one with NNC 7 in its efforts to raise the awareness of the importance of nutrition in building resilience and recovery from the pandemic; stimulate discussions among stakeholders on how to build back better the design, delivery, and scale-up of nutrition interventions; and engage various sectors and the public in activities that promote nutrition.
He concluded his message with the emphasis of the importance of consuming healthy diet and following the minimum health protocols, subjecting oneself to COVID-19 vaccination to stay healthy, strong, and productive. // ND II James Aaron S. Perez, RND
