NNC-7 strengthens warning system versus malnutrition

CEBU, Philippines - The National Nutrition Council - 7 (NNC) is continuously pushing and strengthening its early warning system to municipalities with high malnutrition rate to identify the factors of food insecurities in each area.

At least four areas are being monitored which include Buenavista in Bohol and the towns of Carmen, Dalaguete, and Alcantara in Cebu.

"These areas were selected because they have a high rate of malnutrition for the past years," said Nutrition Officer Nasudi G. Soluta.

Early warning system came from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that aims to foresee the different factors that contributes to food insecurity so that the local government with the NNC can respond and prevent worse incident from happening like the scarcity of food in a particular place and the rise of malnutrition rate.

Meanwhile, food security means that a specific area is being secured with food and thus, the community has a healthy environment with active residents consuming exact amount of food for body maintenance and sustainability. The failure to acquire these leads to food insecurities.

"Mag-conduct man ta og interview ana sa mga households for us to gather data and monitor so if makita gani nato nga sa usa ka household maglisud sila og palit og pagkaon or nangutang ra sila para naa mapalit or namupo ra sila og gulay para naa makaon so kana ma-consider na as coping mechanism and coping mechanism is a sign of food insecurity," Soluta said.

Soluta added that in order to address these concerns their committee together with government agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Science and Technology also provide livelihood to those identified households with related problems in order to give the family a long term solution.

She said that in Central Visayas four out of 100 children are malnourished.

Malnutrition is caused not only by the lack or scarcity of food but also having imbalance and poor lifestyle. Food might be available but the person is eating unhealthy foods that could also result to being underweight or worse malnutrition.

"Ang malnutrition dili lang kanang sa mga niwang sila because they lack the food and nutrients but also those who are not practicing healthy lifestyle sad. Naa ang pagkaon but dili pud nutritious," Soluta said.

To strengthen more the system, NNC is training barangay workers to help them monitor each household.

The committee will train the barangay health workers to conduct survey, gather data, analyzed the information and teach them the proper ways to address the problem.

"Atoa sad silang tudloan sa saktong pag timbang sa mga bata unya kanang sila pud ang mu interview na sa mga households kani part ni siya sa atoang monitoring sa area with the help of the community," Soluta said.

Soluta sees the importance to address the food security as it will give sustainability to the people and its community.

Also they do not only monitor the available of food and the proper food consumption but as well as addressing proper sanitation and hygiene and identify diseases that are prone in the area.

"This is more on like an investment gyud kay when we know that there is food security in the area and we are able to address it we will have the chance to be a more productive community. So kung dili secure ang pagkaon sa usa ka area magutman ang community and it will affect everything," Soluta said. (FREEMAN)