NNC-7 to help strengthen local devolution of nutrition programs in CV

 MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – The National Nutrition Council (NNC-7)-Region VII met with all the Local Chief Executives (LCEs) in Central Visayas in a virtual forum on Nutrition Devolution last October 15 to strengthen further the local nutrition programs and aimed to engage their support in the implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) which is an integral part of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.

According to Dr. Parolita Mission, MMC-7 regional nutrition coordinator that the event hopes to resonate practices of Nutrition Champions at the LGUs of the region, encourage the inclusion of the nutrition priority programs in the devolution transition plan, ensure inclusion of the nutrition interventions in the 2022 AIP, and provide mechanism for LCEs to share their best practices in nutrition program management.

Mission said the forum talked about how the local government units (LGUs) in the region can achieve the nutrition targets set by the PPAN to ensure a healthier and secured life of Filipinos, especially the children.

It factors in and considers commitments to the global community as embodied in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals the 2025 Global Targets for Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition, and the International Conference on Nutrition, Mission explained.

“Achieving the targets is a challenge as many gaps are still apparent in the nutrition program in the country and in the region.  One of the major challenges that has been persistent through the years particularly in Central Visayas Is the functionality of Local Nutrition Committee (LNC),” Mission stated.

She said that as of June 2021, DILG- 7 reported that only 25.7 percent of LNCs are fully functional; 35.3 percent are substantially functional; 22.8 percent are partially functional, and 7.4 percent are non-functional.

This poor performance could be attributed to the lack of personnel to oversee and manage the nutrition programs, Mission added that this is further aggravated by the demands imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the country which demanded focus by local health workers.

It left the nutrition program in the region stagnant as evidenced by the high magnitude of malnutrition in 2020.  Based on OPT Plus 2020, specifically 60,819 or 10.1 percent were chronically malnourished or stunted; 24,869 or 4.2 percent are underweight; 16,211 or 2.7 percent were overweight/obese and 14,382 or 2.4 percent were acutely malnourished wasted.  

With these data, the Central Visayas Regional Nutrition Committee (CV-RNC) seeks to secure important pieces of policy and budgetary support that will enable the LGUs for a better implementation of the PPAN and ensure that programs and activities are implemented at the LGU level

The Mandanas-Garcia Ruling or devolution of nutrition to LGUs could be the golden opportunity to help in filling the gaps and challenges of implementing the PPAN programs, Mission stated.

 

This could address the issues that hinder the implementation of these nutrition programs at the LGUs such as insufficient budget and lack of dedicated staff to oversee and manage the nutrition programs at barangay levels.

Those local governments who do not have nutrition offices, full time Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs) who can provide technical support and render direct nutrition services will now have enough resources to ensure that the necessary budgetary support for nutrition will be given through the devolution, Mission said. (Photos: NNC7)