Participation in food, nutrition and health programs relatively low

Participation in food, nutrition and health programs relatively low

One of the components of the 7th National Nutrition Survey conducted in 2008 by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) deals on the participation of Filipino households and individuals on existing government programs on food, nutrition and health.

This component aimed to determine the proportion of households, children, pregnant and lactating women who are availing of these government programs.

It also aimed to gauge the effectiveness of these government programs in improving the nutrition and health condition of these vulnerable groups.

Information on program participation was gathered through face-to-face interview with the father, mother or any responsible member of the household.

Programs intended for households include food production, free medical/dental services, botika ng bayan, tindahan natin, food for school, senior citizen discount card, nutrition education, seminar on responsible parenthood, credit assistance for livelihood, skills training and food-for-work.

On the other hand, programs for children 0 to 5 years old include immunization, Vitamin A supplementation, growth monitoring, operation timbang, supplementary feeding, orally-fit child and deworming.

For pregnant women and lactating mothers, programs include tetanus toxoid immunization, micronutrient supplementation, nutrition counseling and breastfeeding promotion.

Results showed that there is a relatively low participation in most of the government programs included in the survey.

Among the programs intended for households, food production recorded the highest participation at 51.8 percent while other programs had participation rates ranging from 34.2 percent to as low as 1.8 percent

Among children, there is encouraging results in the immunization of BCG, DPT, OPV and hepa-B at more than 80 percent, except measles immunization with low participation at 45.7 percent. Vitamin A supplementation was also successful with more than 80 percent participation.

However, full implementation of newborn screening, which is on its infancy stage, has a long way to go with only 13.8 percent participation.

Deworming for children also showed low participation at 59 percent and 64.1 percent, respectively, among children 1 to 5 years and 6 to 12 years old.

Among pregnant and lactating mothers, less than 50 percent participated in tetanus toxoid immunization as well as micronutrient supplementation.
Pregnant mothers had low participation on nutrition counseling and breastfeeding promotion at 24.4 percent and 24.4 percent, respectively but fortunately, lactating women revealed 100 percent participation in breastfeeding promotion.

The results challenge all the stakeholders concerned to ensure that the different government programs on food, nutrition and health will reach out to all the needy population groups in the most effective and efficient way possible.

In the first place they are the reason for the creation and implementation of these government programs to improve the country’s nutrition situation.

For more information on food and nutrition, contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Tel/Fax Num: 8372934 and 8373164; email: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph, mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. (FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service: Press Release – MILDRED O. GUIRINDOLA)