Cagayan de Oro City — Thousands of children in Northern Mindanao are now medically considered as healthy after 120 days of supplementary feeding by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
DSWD’s Nutritionist-Dietitian Rechel Grace C. Ceniza disclosed that out of 123,991 children, only 4,345 are left malnourished after being subjected to supplementary feeding for 120 days.
Ceniza said Day Care Centers throughout the region followed a 20-day cycle menu, serving variety of viands and rice in a day.
She said the menu is standard supplement to the three meals for a child under the modified nutritional recipes for the implementation of supplementary feeding.
Bukidnon province tops the number of malnourished children during the 2013-2014 cycle of feeding with 39,145. But, it declines after the 120-day period of feeding with 3,432 left malnourished or 8.8 percent.
Camiguin has the least number of malnourished children in the entire region with 2,510 at the start of the program. Of the number, only 121 children are left malnourished.
Ceniza explained that malnourished children are those found either severely underweight or underweight.
“The 120 days feeding program has improved the nutritional status of 11,736 malnourished beneficiaries due to strengthened monitoring and coordination among DSWD, parents, and local government units,” the nutritionist-dietitian added.
Parents have been involved in feeding preparations and sessions while Day Care Workers supervised the program.
Meanwhile, Atty. Araceli F. Solamillo, Regional Director of DSWD Northern Mindanao; is optimistic that several children in the region will become healthy this 2014-2015 4th feeding cycle, which will start this July 2014.
DSWD has targeted 115,430 children, currently enrolled at day care centers.
###SMU