PALO, Leyte - Ready-to-Eat Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a medicinal food that contains several nutrients that are very important in the recovery of severely and moderately wasted children from 6 to 59 months old. The guidelines in the distribution of RUTF is part of the Philippine Integrated Management of Malnutrition (PIMAM).

PNFP Irene Dagami conducted PIMAM the crash course in the Rural Health Unit staff of Tagapul-an Samar. There were 18 participants including the MNAO Beberlita Yranela, PHN Marilou Rosales, BNS President Jacklyn Allero, BHWs, NDPs, resident nurses, midwives, and medical technologists. Part of the crash course was a Micronutrient Supplementation Program Refresher.

PNFP Dagami also sat down with Tagapul-an BNS President Ms. Jackyln Allero to assist in the transfering of data to the 2022 e-OPT community tool.

Ms. Allero assists MNAO Beberlita Yranela in the validation of the barangay e-OPT by using their own pumpboat to go around the island communities. The difficult topography of Tagapul-an presents a challenge to its health and nutrition sector since each coastal barangay can only be traversed via boat.

Nevertheless, through the efforts of MNAO Ms. Yranela, PHN Marilou Rosales, and its community workers --the BNSs and BHWs, Tagapul-an aims to increase the data quality of their e-OPT reports and reduce the cases of malnutrition specifically the underweight prevalence. #PNFP-IFD