Islamic City of Marawi (27 April) -- The newly established regional nutrition council of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) plans to create provincial and municipal nutrition committee to strengthen the nutrition program of the region.
The plan was disclosed by Nutrition Coordinator Nelia Sarap of Lanao del Sur ? Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) during a press conference held recently at the IPHO.
She said the newly established regional nutrition council has identified series of capability building activities, two (2) of which were already accomplished.
The first was the training on nutrition program management where the need to go down to the provincial and municipal level through the organization of provincial and municipal nutrition committees was agreed, the Nutrition Coordinator said.
The capability building activities formed part of the agreement of the Department of Health in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC).
The agreement provides for the creation of NNC in the region under the DOH that will formulate relevant region-specific nutrition policies, guidelines and other instruments to ensure that the planning and implementation of the provincial, city, municipal and barangay nutrition programs are consistent with the national nutrition policy and program framework.
The MOA was inked last month in the town of Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo witnessing the signing.
In a related development, Dr. Alinader Minalang revealed that the IPHO has covered a substantial number of children afforded with package of services which consisted of Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, and proper knowledge on maternal and child health care during the conduct of the Garantisadong Pambata (GP) program.
The PHO further said that they are also promoting the use of alternative or herbal medicines such as malungay and lagundi to improve the health condition of their constituents.
It is important to prevent diseases than to treat them that is why we need to invest in preventive medicines because they are more effective and economical, Minalang stressed.
No comments