Child Nutrition Initiative Launched in Guimaras to Support Expectant Mothers

GUIMARAS — A coalition of nongovernment organizations recently inaugurated the Guimaras Children’s First 1000 Days Coalition (CFDC) Experiment, aimed at improving child nutrition. The program commenced with supporting 34 expectant mothers from San Lorenzo town, identified as nutritionally at-risk due to poverty and related challenges.

According to Philippines News Agency, the national chair of CFDC, the initiative focuses on the critical first 1000 days of life, from pregnancy to early childhood. Village nutrition scholars or health workers selected the initial recipients. The program includes comprehensive care measures such as nutritional monitoring, mandatory vaccinations, and continuous health interventions throughout pregnancy and the first two years of the child’s life.

The project also involves monitoring the nutrition and health practices during pregnancy and early motherhood, including a specific focus on breastfeeding and transitioning to solid foods. The effectiveness of these interventions will be evaluated to refine and expand the program to other regions suffering from high malnutrition rates, such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Mimaropa, Eastern Visayas, and the Bicol Region. Data from the National Nutrition Council will guide these expansions.

The initiative has garnered support from various sectors, including the First Lady Liza Marcos, who attended the regional launch. An all-government and all-society approach has been advocated to address the widespread issue of malnutrition effectively. Jose Lina emphasized the goal of enhancing the physical and cognitive development of children, encapsulated in the initiative’s motto to make children “brighter, taller, and stronger.”

The initiative is part of a broader effort involving 50 NGOs and aims to reach 500,000 expectant mothers annually. This is aligned with the government’s ‘Lab for All’ project, which seeks to extend essential services to rural areas. Notable attendees at the launch included the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, and various regional leaders, illustrating the wide-ranging support for this vital public health effort.