Movement expands nutrition program

CEBU, Philippines —  The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement has expanded its focus on undernutrition to include overweight and obesity.

Stakeholders have committed to enhance leadership and country-ownership of nutrition actions to achieve results during the launching of the SUN 3.0 strategy in the Philippines recently.

National Nutrition Council executive director, Dr. Azucena Milana-Dayanghirang, who is also a member of the SUN Global Executive Committee representing the Asia and Papua New Guinea region and the SUN country coordinator  for the Philippines, explained how the new strategy differs from the previous strategy.

“From an advocacy and process mode, the current SUN strategy focuses on results and outcomes, expanding its focus on undernutrition to (also) include overweight and obesity,” said Dayanghirang in a statement.

The new strategy, she said, emphasizes country-led nutrition action plans through SUN country coordinators while at the same time as a multi-country movement where there is synergy in terms of priorities for action and greater accountability and collaboration.

The SUN 3.0 is the third phase of the United Nations-established movement that calls for accelerated results to eliminate all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

Department of Health Secretary and NNC governing board chairperson Francisco T. Duque III expressed his hopes that the launching will help gain stakeholder’s support to prioritize, invest and sustain nutrition and nutrition-related interventions and those efforts will be harmonized and streamlined to achieve goals for nutrition.

Duque said that it is paramount that we all exert efforts in finding ways to enable all Filipinos to have continuous access to nutritious food and avail of health and nutrition services according to recommended standards, contributing to the achievement of the goals of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, and the Universal Health Care.

“That is why I urge you to align with the SUN Movement so we can all work together to provide all Filipinos quality care and improved lives that we all deserve,” said Duque to the participants of the online SUN Movement 3.0 Philippine launching that was organized by the NNC wherein more than 500 participants attended the event.

In 2014, the Philippines became the 51st country to join the SUN Movement which has now grown to include 63 countries.

The NNC governing board has approved the Philippine registration to the SUN Movement to gain support from other SUN member countries and international development partners, and the UN agencies in improving the nutrition situation of the country and in harmonizing existing strategies to ensure effective implementation in order to achieve nutrition targets. — GMR (FREEMAN)