The City Health Office (CHO) kicks off the nutrition month campaign with the theme “Batang Pinoy, SANA TALL … Iwas Stunting, SAMA ALL! Iwas ALL din sa COVID -19!”.
Based on the data from the 2020 Operation Timbang (OPT), three barangays topped the list in terms of prevalence rate for under-five children that are stunted, and/or severely stunted, namely Brgy. Marilog (19.03%), Paquibato (17.6%), and Baguio (9.11%).
According to the World Health Organization, stunting in the Philippines remains to be of high level which globally affecting approximately 163 million children under the age of five years.
Elizabeth Banzon, chief of the CHO’s Nutrition Division said, together with the intervention of the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) who goes out to the far-flung communities on giving vitamins and deworming to children also ferrous sulfate both to pregnant and lactating mothers.
With the commendation of The United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on the City Government of Davao on its pilot program by investing on giving away free First 1000 Days of Life Program or D1K Mama Book and Baby Book to the first 100 pregnant and lactating mothers to the 18 barangay health districts which consist of Barangay District A, B, C, D, North, South, Central, Agdao, Buhangin, Paquibato, Sasa, Baguio, Calinan, Marilog, Toril A, Toril B, and Tugbok. With the D1K Book, it will ensure the general wellbeing and health both for the mother and child by availing of the free pre-natal health services of their respective Barangay Health Center (BHC).
The Davao City Health Office together with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) points to carry on with the awareness on the impact of stunting and evidence-based solutions to prevent stunting, to discussand understand its causes and the multi-sectoredsolutions even amidst COVID-19 with the commitment among various stakeholders to scale- up nutrition actions.
by: Shirley Ann Galvez-Dominguez
CHO- Communications Coordinator
