CALAMBA CITY, Laguna-The governor of Quezon province has announced the reduction of malnutrition incident in the province to 9.32 percent from 17.92 percent in 2009.
A report received Friday from the Provincial Information Office (PIO) Quezon said that Governor David Suarez declared during the roundtable discussion of the League of Provinces held at The Manila Hotel last May 29, 2018 under the theme: “Winning the Malnutrition War: A Roundtable Experience on Nutrition”, the Quezon’s First 1,000 Days of Life (Q1K) program has resulted in the reduction of malnutrition in the province to 9.32 percent from 17.92 percent in 2009.
The Q1K Program, which has been acknowledged in some other fora with positive impact against malnutrition, is a comprehensive program of natal and child’s care from the womb of pregnant mothers and the first 1,000 days of the child’s life, where its mental, emotional and physical skills are first developed.
He shared the importance of agriculture in resolving malnutrition problem which he described as a “silent killer that affects everybody.”
Suarez pointed to the Quezon Herbal Processing Center in Pagbilao town where supplementary micronutrient packs are processed for pregnant women.
“We put up a processing center. We buy from farmers and bring the products to the processing center. Our farmers are helping the pregnant women of Quezon province by supplying them complimentary micronutrient packs that Q1K is providing them,” he said.
However, Suarez pointed out some challenges during the implementation of the program like enough knowledge about the core concepts of the Q1K program coupled with differences in cultures and beliefs among the constituents.
He said that through the support of local government units (LGUs) in the province, the program gained ground in curbing malnutrition problem in the province.
“You have to make a political will and decision to address malnutrition. And if that decision is in your heart and you’re willing to push through with it, then a lot will follow,” he said.
The roundtable discussion was collaborated by the Department of Health (DOH), National Nutrition Council (NNC), Department of Interior and Local Governance (DILG) and United Nations Children’s Fund . (Zen Trinidad/PNA)
