Unicef, lady mayors launch drive vs. malnutrition
THE United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (Unicef), in partnership with the Lady Municipal Mayors’ Association of the Philippines, launched its campaign on the universal salt iodization and breastfeeding program for maternal women to fight the rising problem of malnutrition.
The campaign was presented yesterday during the cluster meeting on the First 1,000 Days on Child Health and Nutrition Joint Project attended by 30 out of the 56 municipal mayors from southern Luzon. It was held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
Ma. Lourdes Vega, chief of the National Nutrition Council-Nutrition Policy and Planning Division, in her speech, said the major concern that the council has identified is on child malnutrition.
According to the 2008 study conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, 67 percent of Filipino households are not eating the right food needed to reach the required calories.
Citing Department of Interior and Local Government’s Memorandum Circular 2012-89, Vega encouraged the mayors to implement the government’s plan of action for nutrition in priority barangays and for families to complement their efforts.
“Therefore, LGU’s are encouraged to translate the priorities for action into programs that are adequately funded; achieve the scale, meaning wide range on intervention to achieve desired outcomes,” she said.
Vega said that exclusive breastfeeding is encouraged for the first six months of a newborn child.
She pointed out that children who were breastfeed do not get sick easily compared to other babies who are getting milk formula. After six months, proper food should be given to a child while breastfeeding continues.
Michael Palma, Unicef consultant, said that salt iodization is the best intervention to boost nutrition for maternal women.
He said that iodine deficiency disorder can be passed on from parent to child, and the signs may start showing at the age of eight, which will be noticed in the child’s IQ and reading comprehension.
Lack of iodine can also lead to miscarriage, infertility and other pregnancy complications, he said.
He advised the mayors to approve an ordinance on iodized salt testing and distribution, and coordinate with the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that the salt producers, traders or repackers are FDA-registered and has complied with the iodization standards. Franz Correa and Andrea Denise H. Chua, USJ-R Mass Comm Interns