Nutrition plan of action launched in NorMin

THE Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 was formally launched by the National Nutrition Council Region 10 (NNC X) in Northern Mindanao during the recently concluded 2017 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) held last November 24 at the Limketkai Luxe Hotel, Limketkai Center, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.

PPAN 2017-2022 is a comprehensive, results-based, and time-bounded nutrition master plan designed by the National Nutrition Council Governing Board to address malnutrition prevalence in the country.

Ms. Ellen Ruth F. Abella, Nutrition Officer IV of National Nutrition Council explained that the action plan implementation is guided by four strategic thrusts: focus on the first 1000 days of life, the implementation of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programs, intensified mobilization of local government units, and reaching geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) and communities of indigenous peoples (IPs).

The regional launching of PPAN spreads the plan's six (6)years of full blown implementation. PPAN's implementation will also warrant pivotal nutrition achievements by actuating active, participatory, inter-sectoral, and multi-level nutrition programs to reduce cases of wasting, stunting, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight and obesity.

According to Dr.Nimfa B. Torrizo, Regional Director of the Department of Health Regional Office X (DOH RO X) and Chairperson of Regional Nutrition Committee X, the Philippines is one of the countries with the highest rate of stunted children in South East Asia.

"It's a serious problem here in the Philippines… according to the FNRI 2015 survey, the incidence of stunting among preschool children in the Philippines is 33.4% and 7.1% are wasted, so the DOH ROX together with the National Nutrition Council of Northern Mindanao works unceasingly to address the problems on all forms of malnutrition," Torrizo said.

Torrizo further expressed that there is a need to adapt an evidence-based matrix to help the department monitor how the health sector is working and responding to certain health issues to achieve better timeliness, responsiveness, quality, outcomes and impact.

The PPAN features eight (8) nutrition-specific programs to address the immediate antecedents of malnutrition(1) Infant and Young Child Feeding, (2) Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition, (3) National Dietary Supplementation Program, (4) National Nutrition Promotion Program for Behavior Change, (5) Micronutrient Supplementation, (6) Mandatory Food Fortification, (7) Nutrition in Emergencies and (8) Overweight and Obesity Management and Prevention Program.

NNC X is aware of the importance to substantiate solid and parallel nutrition agenda in the region to bringing together all concerned sectors toward a common goal.

The PPAN 2017-2022 National Launch was held in Iloilo City last May 2, 2017.