SOME 500 nutrition players across the country converged yesterday at SMX Convention Center for the 5th National Conference of Nutrition Action Officers (NAO) in an effort to advance programs to combat malnutrition and stunting and rally behind the full implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action Officers 2017-2022.
Health Assistant Secretary Maria-Bernadita Flores, executive director of the National Nutrition Council (NNC), said in a press conference that the activity aims to gather all the NAO in the country to discuss pressing issues in their implementation of their respective nutrition action plans.
It is also a venue to take centerstage the best practices in nutrition program management and share with each other for a more effective campaign and synchronized effort against malnutrition.
"The NAOs convened for their biennial conference to discuss actions for reducing the prevalence of stunning and wasting among children as well as halt the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among Filipinos," Flores said.
Maria Ana Uy, Provincial Nutrition Action Officers of South Cotabato and President of the Nutrition Action Officers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (NAOPA), for her part, urged the nutrition officers to mobilize their local nutrition committees and to align their local nutrition actions along with the nutrition programs under the PPAN 2017-2022.
They also urged the local government executives to give focus and increase local budget for the nutrition program.
"NAOs are equipped with the policy and guidance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Budget and Management circulars that call on LGUs to ensure that their nutrition plans are aligned with the PPAN," she said.
She added that the NAOs are updated on the latest policies and programs on nutrition including the NNC's position on fad diets, updated implementing guidelines on the Barangay Nutrition Scholars program and proposed national nutrition program for government workers.
Technical sessions were held and concerns on addressing the double burden of malnutrition, including actions on the first 1000 days of life, strategies for improving complementary feeding for infants, nutritions practice guidelines on overweight and obesity, and healthy food options for school children were tackled.