NNC-CAR program in Abra to be replicated in Cordillera

HEALTH TRENDS

Nancy E. Paclos

BANGUED, Abra- This capital town initiated therapeutic feeding of severely acute malnourished children under a new program on nutrition that would soon be replicated in Cordillera Administrative Region.

Bella Basalong, Nutrition Officer III of National Nutrition Council-CAR, undergoing a masteral degree course with Development Academy of the Philippines, initiated establishment of the community-based management of severe acute malnutrition guided by Dept. of Health Administrative Order N0 2015-055: National Guidelines on the Management of Acute Malnutrition for children under five years as her course re-entry project.

Basalong assisted by the DOH regional office started the project with an orientation training of key local government unit stakeholders and health center staff.

Trained Barangay Nutrition Scholars started validating list of children through weight and height-taking and measurement of mid-upper arm circumference since mid-November 2016 and identified four severely  malnourished children  and enrolled them in the program Jan. 10. 

Basalong said additional children will be enrolled as they are identified.

The full validation of children in all the barangays of this town is expected to be completed this January.

Children enrolled in the program will undergo therapeutic feeding, medical interventions and weekly monitoring managed by the health center for four months.

DOH ready to eat therapeutic food (RUTF) approved by the DOH for this program.

Basalong, who spent most of her days in this town for the last two months assisting the health center on the project will hand over full management of the project through turn-over program on Jan. 19.

Representatives of the DOH regional office are expected to attend the ceremony.

The management of acute malnutrition will be one of the major programs for nutrition to be implemented by the DOH in collaboration with the LGUs in the next five years under the new Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, 2017-2022.

Rita Papey, Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC-CAR said the experience from this project in Abra will help the NNC-CAR  as it prepares for wider implementation of the new nutrition program addressing acute malnutrition.