BY LISA MESIONA/ADDU INTERN
THE NATIONAL Nutrition Council XI continues its effort to combat malnutrition through the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) of 2023 to 2028.
Retsebeth Laquihon, NNC XI regional nutrition program coordinator, updated the public on the progress of PPAN in the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum on July 8.
“The government continues to provide dietary supplementation programs such as feeding programs funded by the national government,” Laquihon said.
Included in the PPAN are school-based reading programs, feeding programs for children aged 3 to 5 years old, and the Tutok-Kainan feeding program for malnourished pregnant and lactating mothers and infants aged 6 to 23 months.
NNC XI noted the decrease in the regional prevalence rate of malnutrition in the region. From 2018 to 2023, the rate of stunted and severely stunted children decreased from 8.22% to 5.2%, while the rate of wasted and severely wasted children declined from 2.13% to 0.8%.
The rate of undernutrition also declined from 3.6% to 2.8%. Meanwhile, overnutrition and obesity fluctuated from 1.86%, 1.9%, 1.6%, 1.88%, and 1.6%, to 1.4% from 2018 to 2023.
Among the provinces in the region, Sarangani holds the highest prevalence rate of undernutrition at 25.2%.
“We still have challenges to overcome to address malnutrition,” Laquihon admitted. “At this time, collaboration, coordination, and partnership are very critical.”
NNC XI called on the participation of public and private stakeholders in an effort to intensify the anti-malnutrition campaign in the region.
Photo: Bing Gonzales
