IN LINE with the Nutrition Month, the Nutrition Division of City Health Office has partnered with the City Agriculturist Office for distribution of seeds to barangays to help families access healthy food through the establishment of food gardens in their homes.
“Among mga nutrition officers nagapartner sila sa City Agri karon as part sa activity nato sa nutrition month, kada barangay gitagaan sila’g seeds and ginatudloan pud sila unsaon pagtanom (Our nutrition officers partnered with the City Agri as part of our activity for the Nutrition Month. Every barangay is given seeds and instructed on how to plant),” said CHO Nutrition Division Head Elizabeth Banzon during the I-Speak Media forum held last July 13, 2023.
She said that they encourage all families within the city to have their own “food gardens” that will contain vegetables,
not only those living in rural areas but also in urban areas. Those who are living in urban areas can practice container gardening.
Banzon said that having food gardens helps prevent malnutrition and cases of stunting or failure of children to grow to the proper height as an effect of low nutrition and also of wasting or low weight compared to the height of children.
Based on current data, Davao City has less than one percent of cases of wasting. However, the cases of stunting is more than 3 percent.
Banzon said that though 3 percent is considered low compared to national data, the office pushes to eradicate such cases entirely.
The top barangays where children suffer from stunting are Barangay Gumitan, Marilog District; Barangay Salapawan, Paquibato District; Barangay Tapak, Paquibato District; Barangay Malamba, Marilog District; Barangay Dalaglumot, Marilog District; Barangay Datu Salumay, Marilog District; Barangay Pandaitan, Paquibato District; Barangay New Carmen, Tugbok District; Barangay Baganihan, Marilog District; and, Barangay Magsaysay, Marilog District.
She said that also one of main reasons for stunting are lack of information by mothers and behavior in taking care of their children.
Banzon said to address this, on top of pushing for food gardens, the CHO continues to push for women to have prenatal consultations so that they can be informed of the importance of proper food intake and breastfeeding in the early stages of childrens’ growth.
“Open ang tanan natong district health centers for pre-natal open tanan nato barangay health centers for prenatal. Sa first 1000 days tanan buntis, tanang women asikasuhon (Our district health centers and barangay health centers are open for prenatals. In the first 1000 days [of children’s life] all of the pregnant women, and all of the women will be given attention),” Banzon said. (CIO)