The National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region VIII kick-starts the Nutrition in Emergencies and Information Management (NIE-IM) Blended Learning Course last November 13, 2020 through a live opening program via Google Meet. The said program was attended by 10 local government units, (LGU) coming from (1) Biliran Province, (2) Samar Province, (3) Borongan City, Eastern Samar (4) Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte (5) San Juan, Southern Leyte (6) Daram, Samar (7) Marabut, Samar (8) Paranas, Samar (9) Tagapul-an, Samar, and (10) Jipapad, Eastern Samar, including participants from the Department of Health-Health Emergency Management Bureau  (DOH-HEMS) and Plan International.

Nutrition in Emergencies (NIE) refers to the essential nutrition services that are components of the 4 thematic areas of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM). It is essential to implement NIE to prevent the worsening of malnutrition in the most nutritionally vulnerable groups, namely infants, children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and older persons, affected by emergencies.

Likewise, it is equally important for the local health and nutrition staff in the LGU to develop knowledge and skills on information management so that effective IM support of the Nutrition Cluster at the local level is established.

During the opening program of the course, the Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC Region 8, Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr., emphasized in his welcome message the importance of nutrition in emergencies especially that the region is prone to natural disasters, such as tropical cyclones and floods.

The NIE-IM training aims to enhance the competencies of members of local nutrition committees along nutrition in emergencies and information management. The training combines the NIE and IM content without any change in content except for the simulation exercise which will now be using table-top exercises.

The participants of the said training include the Nutrition Action Officer (NAO), Nutrition Staff, Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Officer, Health Officer, and Social Welfare Officer of each LGU.

The blended learning program is an initiative of the National Nutrition Council in order to cater regions with unstable internet connection and adapt blended learning during COVID-19 pandemic. The program combines online and offline activities, wherein lectures are pre-recorded and are supplemented by live/online open forums. The pre-recorded lectures feature the national trainers while the regional trainers serve as resource speakers during the live open forums and in reviewing the outputs of participants. The course will run for 6 weeks, with an average of 3 hours per class offered twice a week, every Tuesdays and Fridays. #NOIDFLendero