COVID, monkeypox highlight importance of better nutrition

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The National Nutrition Council-Region 6 (NNC-6) pledged to continue their push for better nutrition for children and families as they concluded the month-long celebration of the National Nutrition Month on Saturday, July 30, 2022.

Moderately strong rains on Saturday morning failed to dampen the NNC-6’s scheduled bike activities held Diversion Road in Jaro and Mandurriao districts.

The NNC-6 also held a press conference in City Proper to cap their celebration of the nationwide cause to promote nutrition in all communities across the country.

NNC-6 Regional Nutrition Coordinator Reginaldo Guillen said that the recurring rain showers highlighted the significance of promoting awareness of nutrition for the people as a multi-sectoral effort.

He also mentioned the emergence of the monkeypox virus which already logged its first case in the country on Friday, and the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The times now are different, which makes our call for multi-sectoral intervention on nutrition all the more important and urgent, especially with the detected monkeypox [disease],” said Guillen.

“We are trying to convey the message that we have to be very vigilant of our situation, our surroundings, and one of the key solutions is to come together and engage the citizenry to strengthen their bodies and their resistance to combat whatever diseases or viruses that are around,” he added.

Guillen likewise stated that the activities they laid out for the past three weeks of this month would also be replicated throughout the year.

“In the changes in our weather and in our administration, locally and nationally, we seek to have more interventions from food production, consultation with professionals, and on correct nutrition through initiatives on providing sufficient income for families which, in the long term, would lead to better access to food,” he said.

“With the continuing challenge of malnutrition in our region, the public can be assured that the [NNC] would continue its mandate to provide appropriate policies, programs, and technical assistance to all our partner agencies and beneficiaries in their respective localities,” he added.

Section 7 of Presidential Decree No. 491, issued on June 25, 1974, mandated the nationwide celebration of Nutrition Month “for the purpose of creating greater awareness among our people on the importance of nutrition.”

This year’s Nutrition Month theme is ‘New Normal na Nutrisyon, Sama-Samang Gawan ng Solusyon!’ which calls “for strengthened nutrition interventions and solidarity towards nutrition improvement as the country shifts towards living with COVID-19.”