TACLOBAN CITY– With the intensified implementation of health and nutrition programs among children in the city, data from the Tacloban City Nutrition Office noted a decrease in the prevalence of malnutrition in aged 0-59 and 0-23 months old.
City Nutrition Program Coordinator Liza Lendero disclosed that the result of the 2021 and 2022 Operation Timbang Plus (OPT+) showed a slight drop of 2.4 percent in the prevalence of malnourished kids from 8.2 to only 5.8 percent, wherein OPT coverage increased to 11.4 percent from 58.1 to 69.5 percent.
After the challenges brought by the pandemic, the positive turnout, according to Lendero, was due to their strengthened programs to address nutrition-related concerns and the support given by the barangays to implement activities and to reach more children to participate in the OPT+.
Through the linkages from the different offices in the city government such as the City Cooperative Development and Livelihood Assistance Office, City Agriculture and the City Veterinary Office’s pig and chicken dispersal program, the office was able to assist in providing livelihood activities to aid the families of malnourished children to get additional income.
She also mentioned that this year they are targeting to conduct a 40-day feeding event in barangays 42 and 42-A of which 30 children per barangay will benefit.
Ongoing programs of CNO include Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Program Implementation (MELLPI) and the ‘Pabasa sa Nutrition’ in Brgy. 42 and 96 this March 30-31.
MELLPI ensures the effectiveness of program implementation in various barangays in the city while PSN encourages sustained participation of the community in promoting proper and good nutrition.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
