NNC-7 monitors supplemental feeding program in Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines — The National Nutrition Council 7 has been monitoring the Tutok Kainan Supplemental Program in the barangays of Sapangdaku and Sambag I in Cebu City.

The NNC has monitored the food preparation of the nutrition workers, distribution of meals to pregnant mothers and the consumption of meals by the beneficiaries.

A total of 266 sacks of 24 kilos and a sack of 16 kilos iron fortified rice were delivered to Cebu City Nutrition Office in preparation for the start of the wet feeding for the second month of its implementation this month.

The NNC-7 has launched the program in March this year and its implementation has commenced in Cebu City as well as in Negros Oriental and Siquijor on April 6, 2021 with eNutribun as the food commodity for the first month.

The program shall continue up to 90 days of diet supplementation to 1,600 pregnant women in Cebu City.

NNC-7 regional nutrition program coordinator, Dr. Parolita Mission, earlier said that this program aims to prevent stunting (or too short for age or pagka “potot” in Cebuano) among children 0-23 months old and this is done by improving the quality and quantity of food and nutrient intakes and utilization of related Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) for the First 1000 Days (F1KD) services among nutritionally at-risk pregnant women.

Complementary activities such as nutrition education will be also done together with the feeding to enlighten mothers on the importance of nutrition especially in the First 1000 days of life.

Mission said that well-nourished children in the First 1000 Days are 10 times more likely to overcome the most life-threatening childhood diseases, complete 4.6 more grades in school, more likely as adults to have healthier families, and earn 21 percent more in wages as adults.

Mission added that this program is especially designed for women to improve their nutritional state who are most often neglected or put on the sideline especially in this time of the pandemic. — GMR (FREEMAN)