Cebu City – Anthropometric measurement (taking of height/length and weight) is not the end of the famous annual Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus. In fact, it is only a part of one of the most important nutrition surveillance activities at the local level.
With the type and extent of nutrition interventions for the community and for specific individuals largely dependent on the results of OPT Plus, data processing and information management must be given utmost care to ensure the efficient use of resources.
OPT Plus result recording and reporting are especially important as it not only affects local nutrition implementation but has significance in provincial, regional, and national nutrition program planning as well as policy making.
As we are nearing the conclusion of the anthropometric measurement part of the OPT Plus, we come to the part that many nutrition staff is dreading… data processing. So, the National Nutrition Council Region VII is here to help you get through the OPT Plus data encoding and analysis by providing you with some tips in OPT Plus reporting.
First, while the OPT Plus tool for 2023 has not been published and distributed yet, encode the available information in a separate excel form or in last year’s eOPT tool to be moved to the new tool as soon as the 2023 OPT tool is available.
Second, data completeness is important, but data encoders do not need to re-encode all the names every year. One can make use of the master list from last year and copy-paste the following details: child and mother’s names, address/location of child’s residence, sex, indigeneity, and date of birth. The actual date of weighing and height/length are to be updated.
Third, to update the master list, one can simply weed out children who are over-aged (more than 59 months) as well as those who have transferred or expired. Additional children may be added at the bottom.
Fourth, the eOPT tool makes our lives easier but to maximize the use of the tool and avoid unnecessary stress, make sure that encoders use MS Excel 2007 or later. Some formulas and formatting may not be compatible with other spreadsheet applications.
Tune in next week for more tips on the use of eOPT and how to use these reports for your nutrition program implementation. // NO III Nasudi G. Soluta, RND
