TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN——National Nutrition Council Rehiyon Dos launched the 46th Nutrition Month Celebration in the #NewNormal way last 01 July 2020 via Zoom and Facebook live.
This year’s Nutrition Month theme, “Batang Pinoy, SANA TALL… Iwas Stunting SAMA ALL! Iwas ALL din sa COVID-19” aims to promote awareness on stunting and and calls for collective vision of having taller filipino children reaching their full potential by preventing and addressing stunting through participation of different government agencies, non-government organization, civil society, business, academe, communities. The sub theme “Iwas ALL din sa COVID-19.” is added considering the pandemic and the community quarantine still in effect. It becomes more imperative to ensure nutrition among Filipinos to improve resilience against disease and minimize the long-term effects of malnutrition.
“Stunting or being too short for one’s age indicates undernutrition in a child who is not receiving enough nutrition to grow and develop to reach his or her full potential.”, Ms. Maria Gisela Lonzaga, Nutrition Program Coordinator, explained.
In addition, she emphasized that, according to the WHO, childhood stunting is “one of the most significant impediments to human development, globally affecting approximately 162 million children under the age of 5 years. It is largely an irreversible outcome of inadequate nutrition and repeated bouts of infection during the first 1000 days of a child’s life”. The WHO estimates that by 2025, about 127 million children under five years will be stunted assuming that current trends continue. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a possibility that more children will be stunted if there are no mitigating measures in place.
In the Philippines, stunting among children below five years of age is considered high in magnitude and severity based on WHO cut-off points. In fact, the Philippines ranks fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific Region with the highest stunting prevalence and one of 10 countries with the highest number of stunted children in the world. One in three or 30.3% of children 0-59 months old were stunted in 2018 [12]. The chart below shows a slight improvement in stunting rates from 2015 to 2018.
As a result, she enjoined national agencies, local government units and other stakeholders to continue their actions and initiatives that they have started to address stunting by prioritizing efforts and actions towards the first 1000 days of a child’s life not only during the nutrition month but also for the rest of the year.
Moreover, Mr. Edzell Arcinue, Nutrition Officer III, further discussed the services and actions needed during the first 1000 days of a child’s life to prevent stunting.
“Based on the analysis of the drivers of stunting, significant reduction in stunting would occur when there are improvements in the health and nutrition of pregnant women and adolescents and in food security and diversity.” NO III Arcinue emphasized.
On the other hand, Governor Dakila Carlo Cua, Chairman of League of Provinces in the Philippines, further strengthened the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life program by encouraging other LCEs to strengthen their programs and initiatives for the first 1000 days program during the pledge of commitment.
“Hinihikayat ko ang aking kapwa local chief executives (LCEs) at nutrition stakeholders na palawakin ang mga serbisyo sa first 1000 days lalong lalo na ang mga pregnant adolescents and women na mabigyan ng serbisyong pang-nutrisyon upang sila ay magkaroon ng malusog at malakas na mga anak”, he said.
The #NewNormal way celebration of 46th Nutrition Month launching was attended by more than 150 participants composed of Local chief executives, nutrition officers, provincial/municipal/city nutrition action officers, district/municipal/city nutrition program coordinator and other nutrition stakeholders from different province, cities and municipalities in Cagayan Valley, NNC R02 facebook followers and some across the country.
Lastly, NPC Lonzaga invited the participants to check the National Nutrition Council Region 02 social media account for other activities and information dissemination as it widens its digital campaign of the Nutrition Month Celebration.###FVTV###JNLB