NNC 7 Wants to Address Rising Malnutrition

Following the rising malnutrition case in Cebu province, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) 7 recommended that the local leaders take this problem seriously by strictly implementing its nutrition programs.

“It is ironic that Cebu is rich yet it has the highest case of malnutrition in the province,” lamented NNC7 regional nutrition program coordinator Dr. Parolita Mission. Mission said she believes the problem is not the lack of funds but the absence of proper monitoring on its nutrition programs.

Mission reveals that while Bohol has six district nutritionists, Cebu only has two, considering that both provinces have 46 towns. She said nutritionists are important as they monitor and engage stakeholders to take part in the program.

In last year’s Operation Timbang of NNC7, Cebu ranked as having the highest percentage of  underweight or malnourished children, standing at 7.66 percent. The province outranked Negros Oriental, which used to be the highest for the last seven years since 2005.