Samar-wide Nutrition Summit due

By SAMUEL D. CANDIDO, PIA Eastern Samar
September 3, 2014

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar – The Provincial Health Office of Eastern Samar in partnership with the Health Organization Mindanao (HOM) with the support of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and Action Contre la Faim (ACF) International will be conducting a Samar-wide Nutrition Summit this coming October at Serenada, Baybay Boulevard this city.

According to Ms. Sallie C. Jabinal, Provincial Nutrition Action Officer, Province of Eastern Samar, the main goal of the said summit is to ensure that strong commitments are made by leaders from the different sectors of our society and take the event as a platform to focus on nutrition as a social justice issue.

Jabinal added that this summit is also anchored on the belief that preventing malnutrition must include various multi-sectoral initiatives, such as poverty reduction, improvements in basic health care, infrastructure, and sanitation, food insecurity reduction, better response during and after emergencies, and many others.

She further said that the campaign on the "Zero Malnutrition Now" is up which sends a strong statement that we need to speak out together for a more just and fair society, highlighting on the power of coming together and making the case public for strong action of leaders.

"If malnutrition will not be addressed within the first two years of life, it affects in long term on the over-all human productivity and economic development", Jabinal said.

The participants of this summit are Provincial Governors of the three provinces, City / Municipal Mayors and policy makers/planners are the primary target of this Summit.

The advocacy should bring them to support the nutrition initiative by creating ordinances and allocating adequate budget for the program to be implemented.

Also invited are Nutrition Champions who will be speaking out about the campaign's aim and the need to tackle malnutrition such as young advocate, an expert or activist on the issue, religious leaders, academe, local celebrity or performers and media.

About 100 participants are expected to attend the said summit.