HOM advocacy pushes nutrition program in ARMM, Zamboanga City

HOM IN ACTION --- Photos in clockwise depict (1) the advocacy presentation in South Upi, Maguindanao; (2) the advocacy presentation in Buluan, Maguindanao; (3) Irene Anta, nutrition officer of NNC-ARMM, discussing the BNS establishment in the barangays; (4 -5) the advocacy presentations in Sultan Sa Barongis; and (6) the meeting among South Upi Reynabert O. Insular, Nutrition Coordinator Michelle Querido, and Local Health Nutrition Officer Alessandra Sumael. (HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN MINDANAO – MINDANAO EXPOSE’

This year, the Health Organization in Mindanao (HOM) has intensified its advocacy initiatives at the covered municipalities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and   Zamboanga City.

The advocacy aims to persuade local chief executives in allocating funds for nutrition programs and guide them on where and what to invest on nutrition programs such as establishing and hiring a pool of Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS), among others].

Part of HOM’s advocacy is to bring together barangay and municipal officials, partner agencies, and other key stakeholders to present inputs on the 1^st 1000 days of life,  vanguards of nutrition, malnutrition prevalence,  factors associated with malnutrition and focus to improve nutrition status,  qualifications of BNS and their assignments in the barangays.

Following HOM’s continuous interventions, the Philippine Integrated Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (PIMSAM) has become functional in all the covered municipalities in the ARMM and Zamboanga City.

The Department Of Health - National Nutrition Council (DOH-NNC), through the HOM, aims to support the expansion of quality treatment for those who suffer from the most severe and acute forms of undernutrition through the PIMSAM.

Several activities are currently now being implemented in the partner communities such as Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), counselling, and active/passive screenings for pregnant and lactating women and children for the purpose of identifying the target malnourished sectors and providing them the corresponding interventions.

More so, the HOM’s call for participatory approach is strengthening the commitment of support in nutrition-related activities in the municipal and barangay levels.

As an example, South Upi Municipal Mayor Reynabert O. Insular showed his commitment by increasing the allocated funds for nutrition-related programs and invested on recruiting BNS in their barangays. After the first meeting with the HOM, along with partner agencies and key stakeholders, they were able to re-establish their Municipal Nutrition Committee.

The municipality of Sultan Sa Barongis, on the other hand, has always been committed to programs related to nutrition. It is  one of the first municipalities in the ARMM to have hired the in their barangays. The HOM helped them in increasing the budget allotment for nutrition and capacitating their human resources.

The series of advocacy presentation in Buluan, Maguindanao has also resulted to the establishment of the BNS in all their barangays.

According to Abdulkarim S. Usop, municipal planning and development coordinator, the Buluan LGU, during the preparation of its six-year (2017-2022) Comprehensive Development Plan, has prioritized the assignment of the BNS under the social sector program of the municipality.

Omar John E. Sinsuat, HOM executive director, said: “Now that the Scale-up Nutrition project is coming to an end, we are aiming for the sustainability of the program with the help of government agencies.”

Michelle Querido-Alim, HOM’s nutrition coordinator in the ARMM and Lanao areas, emphasized that malnutrition is very silent, especially in cases of stunting.

She added that this is very alarming because “the children are the future of our nation. If left unresolved, this will make a great impact to the economy. Latest survey of the FNRI shows that the ARMM has the highest rate of stunting cases while Maguindanao ranks second in contributing to these cases.”

Why focus on 1^st 1000 days of life of a child?

Even at the onset of pregnancy, a child is already at risk for malnutrition.

The first 1,000 days of the life of a child, starting from the onset of pregnancy up to two years of age, is the best opportunity to provide proper nutrition for the baby. After this stage, the possibility of stunting is already irreversible. If left untreated, malnutrition may have long-term effects on children, such as impairment in mental functions and digestive problems that, in some cases, persist for the rest of their lives.  This may result to even poorer health and lower educational achievements during adulthood.

Irene Anta, nutrition officer of the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-ARMM, stated that aside from allocating funds for the establishment of the BNS, there are still many ways for the barangay and municipal officials to support nutrition programs, one of which is initiating radio broadcastings for nutrition.

“They [municipal local government unit and barangay officials] may approach the Department of Health and NNC-ARMM for other nutrition programs that need support and fund allocations,” she said. (NORFA MASTURA GUIABER-TAYUAN, HOM INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICER – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)