Cebu City - RNPC Dr. Parolita A Mission, the Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator of the National Nutrition Council Region VII shared the objectives and key messages of the 48th Nutrition Month (NM) celebration during the Nutrition and Wellness Forum organized by the Public Health Unit (PHU) of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center held on 13 July 2022 via zoom conference. The forum attended by more than 100 participants aimed to strengthen lifestyle disease-related prevention, promotion, and control among members of its community especially its employees and clients both inpatient and outpatient services.
Dr. Mission, who served as one of the guest experts during the forum elaborated on this year’s NM theme “New Normal na Nutrisyon, sama-samang gawan ng Solusyon!” which calls for strengthened nutrition interventions and solidarity toward nutrition improvement as the nation shifts towards living with the COVID-19 virus. The 48th NM theme, she added signifies the key role of nutrition in building resilience from pandemic to endemic paradigm.
The regional head of NNC 7 also discussed the objectives of this month-long observance which are to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition in building resilience and recovery from the pandemic; to stimulate discussions among stakeholders on how to build back better the design, delivery, and scale-up of nutrition interventions; and to engage various sectors and the public in activities that promote nutrition, as we call for collective effort to improve nutrition as we move forwards to a better new normal.
With the year’s theme “New Normal na Nutrisyon, sama-samang gawan ng Solusyon!” National Nutrition Council hopes to relay to the stakeholders and citizens the key messages the celebration brings including 1. good nutrition is a key to building immunity, protecting against illness and infection, and supporting recovery. Efforts to preserve and promote proper nutrition must be part of the pandemic resilience strategies, 2. promote and adopt health-enhancing nutrition behaviors, including the consumption of sustainable healthy diets, 3. as the campaign calls for continued solidarity to support food and nutrition security, especially for the most vulnerable, 4. hopes to expand the multi-sectoral engagements to scale up nutrition interventions, and 5. lastly, strengthen leadership and governance in nutrition across all levels to achieve nutritional outcomes of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition.
The forum led by PHU was organized in collaboration with the hospital’s Dietetics Service and other partners such as the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Department of Family and Community Medicine. This was one of the activities of this apex hospital in Central Visayas for the 48th Nutrition Month celebration.
Dr. Mission capped her talk with a challenge to VSMMC attendees that as an individual and as an institution they have roles to play as nutrition stakeholders to improve nutrition for a better new normal.
NM 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. The law also mandates the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to lead and coordinate the nationwide campaign.
Don’t forget to like, follow, and share the official Facebook page of National Nutrition Council Region VII @nncrvii for updates on the celebration of the 48th National Nutrition Month and its supporting activities in the region. // ND II James Aaron S. Perez, RND
