BANGUED, Abra –Intensified information campaign, supplemental feeding and probe on behavioral aspects of the community are among the measures to be undertaken by government agencies to address the perennial malnutrition problem here.
This was agreed during the joint meeting of the Abra Provincial Nutrition Council, the National Nutrition Council and Department of Health –Cordillera last January 19 at the Abra Provincial Health Office.
With the town of Tineg still at the top rank in malnutrition in CAR, the DOH’s supplemental feeding program will be pursued. It shall be complemented by an intensified information drive.
OIC Provincial Health Officer under APHO- Technical Division Dr. Antonio Valera suggested a probe on behavioral aspects of the community in Tineg in order to identify the root cause of the problem. It is rather futile implementing the same strategy (feeding program) over and over again that consistently failed as there are still malnourished children, he said.
Valera stressed the important roles of community leaders like barangay officials and teachers whom people respect and follow to guide them. He proposed that barangay officials enforce good eating habits in every household. The Department of Education , on the other hand, plays a vital role in nutrition advocacy by teaching pupils and parents backyard gardening.
“This is a good strategy since children bring their ‘baon’ to school as they are usually far from home. They can cook what’s in the school backyard. At para maturuan din ang parents na magtanim sa bakuran dahil napakalawak ng lupain sa Tineg,” he said.
Each member agency particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development, DepEd, Dept. of Interior and Local Government and Philippine Information Agency assured to exhaust all necessary measures and support in the roll out of this advocacy.
Meanwhile, Bella Basalong of NNC-CAR informed that the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team will visit Abra this June to assess the status of the top 10 malnourished towns and assess PNC’s picks for the Green Banner Award and Barangay Nutrition Scholars best performer award. **By Ginalyn B. Brioso
