Bantayan Is., Cebu - So that local chief executives are equipped with real time emergency capabilities, NNC 7 organized a consultative meeting with local chief executives, municipal nutrition action officers, municipal nutrition program coordinators and other nutrition stakeholders for Yolanda-affected municipalities on 13 February 2013 at the Municipal Trial Court Conference room, Bantayan, Cebu.
In attendance were fifteen (15) individuals from the three municipalities of Bantayan Island namely, Bantayan, Santa Fe and Madridejos. The objective of the meeting was to to engage LCEs and nutrition stakeholders in planning and implementing nutrition rehabilitation efforts in Yolanda-affected municipalities; and, to agree on mechanism of coordination by the local government and regional line agencies with nutrition programs.
Discussed during the meeting was an introduction to Nutrition in Emergencies, Updates from the Local Nutrition Cluster, Nutrition Strategic Response Plan, Review of the Reporting System and Community Nutrition Response Strategy. Highlighted during the meeting were key interventions that would require support from the Barangay Nutrition Scholars/Barangay Health Workers and Municipal Nutrition Action Officers which encompassed of Infant and Young Child Feeding (setting up support groups, one-on-one counseling, mother/baby friendly spaces), MUAC screening and referral to CMAM, support the achievement of high coverage for Vitamin A supplementation and deworming and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation.
In related development, NNC 7 met with the Mayors of Daan Bantayan, Medellin and San Remegio, all of Cebu province on11-12 February 2014 to discuss local nutrition response during emergencies and the planned nutrition and related activities of the Regional Nutrition Cluster to help achieve nutrition rehabilitation efforts including the upcoming SMART survey and Community Nutrition Response Strategy to be done in five priority municipalities affected by Yolanda.
With these meetings, the Local Chief Executives and the nutrition stakeholders can continue to implement nutrition responses to arrest the further rise of malnutrition after the devastation brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda. //DFB
