JANUARY 2020 IMPLEMENTATION

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               A child’s proper growth and development is crucial towards his or her future. This will determine whether he or she will be healthy or sickly later on, which will matter in his or her life choices, in their academic performance, their career paths, their social and family life, and many more. That’s why it is of utmost importance that we, TEAM MARAS, prioritize and focus on the persisting issue that is the increased number of children under-5 that are malnourished.

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        The group started with Oplan Timbang, wherein children ages 6 below were measured with their heights, weights and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). This were then used to interpret a child’s nutritional status by comparing its weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height, to the standards set by the WHO Growth Chart. The group first did a fixed post at the barangay health station. We scheduled it together with the prenatal visit of pregnant mothers (Jan 7), and immunization day of all children (Jan 8), so that we can measure as many children as possible, to truly assess the nutritional status of all children in Maras. Since it’s impossible that 100% of children will be covered with this 1st phase of weigh-in, the group then did a per-purok weigh-in, together with the mass blood pressure monitoring done by our group (Jan 13-15). We prioritized those living on the mountainside and remote areas, since they are the ones who find it going to the Barangay Health Station inaccessible due to distance. We’ve covered 6 out the 7 puroks in the barangay with this 2nd phase.

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               We saved Purok Dipodog, the sector located on the mountaintop, for our 3rd and final phase of Oplan Timbang. We arranged it so that it will coincide with the Oral Polio Vaccine Outbreak Response Immunization (OPV ORI) that the municipality will conduct there, on the 27th of January.  It was a difficult expedition, as we are carrying with us loads of material, such as food, weighing scales, and lecture paraphernalia, during this 3-hour hike.

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              Once all their data were collated and interpreted, thanks in large part to the AntrhoCalc mobile app available on the Google Play Store, and the eOPT App shared to us by the Municipal Nutritionist, Ms. Claire Gaas, it was then put together into a master-list. We found out that out of 59 children measured, 5% qualified as severely acute malnourished (SAM), 27% as moderately acute malnourished, and 57% as at risk for acute malnourished. This number is alarming, and key interventions must be done in order for us to manage, and furtherly, prevent malnutrition in the barangay.

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                 We then held a general meeting (Jan 18), inviting the mothers of vulnerable children, the barangay health workers, and the barangay nutrition scholar. It was then that we emphasized that malnutrition in the barangay exists, and that we need to intervene. We discussed what risk factors and causes may have factored in that led to the increase of children with low weight-for-age in their barangay, such as poverty, lack of food variety, and breastfeeding status, among others. We then conducted a lecture on the 10 Kumainments, or the 10 ways to eating and living healthy as recommended by the National Nutrition Council.  We gave a 10-item pre-test and post-test regarding the lecture, and the exam yielded positive results, as the average score that the mothers attained improved in the post-test (8.3/10), as compared to the pre-test (6.7/10).

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              After that, we highlighted the possible projects that TEAM MARAS can implement to address the issue of malnutrition in the barangay. These projects focus on the problems of inappropriate weight-for-age of children, knowledge deficit of mothers towards proper nutrition and food preparation, breastfeeding status, deworming, and lack of access to healthy food choices. It was then that we formed a core group, recruiting mothers who are willing to volunteer themselves once these projects will be realized. These core group was later named MOTHERS AGAINST MALNUTRITION IN MARAS (MAMMs).

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                A second meeting (Jan 25), together with the core group formed, the BHWs and the BNS, was held. The objectives of this meeting were to expound the projects initially highlighted during the 1st general meeting. Concerns of the mothers were raised in this meeting, such as the struggles of practicing exclusive breastfeeding, and the difficulty of surveying for land available for communal garden.

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                 To the best of our abilities, TEAM MARAS will strive hard to stamp malnutrition out of the barangay. We will give precedence to teaching all primary caregivers the knowledge and skills necessary to manage and prevent undernutrition amongst their kids, while providing enough sustainable programs that will leave an impact to future generations of youth in Maras. We envision a health care system that leaves no child behind. In the end, becoming a doctor means servicing for God and country. For planetary health. For all of humanity.

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January 2020 Accomplishments:

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• Initial list of malnourished children established

• Updated master-list of malnourished children and their mothers/guardians created in coordination with the Barangay Nutrition Scholar. 

• The first general meeting on malnutrition was held together with the, BHWs, BNS, and parents of vulnerable children

• 26 mothers and fathers of vulnerable children took the pre-test and post-test regarding the 10 Kumainments lecture given by the researchers

• Formation on core group on nutrition (Mothers Against Malnutrition in Maras or MAMMs)

• Materials for the Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign on Good Nutrition and First 1000 Days Law were procured from the RHU.

• The software, electronic Oplan Timbang (eOPT), used by the DOH Municipal Nutritionist, was obtained to help with the identification and case tracking of moderate and severe acute malnutrition in the barangay

• Inquiry was done to the DOH Municipal Nutritionist on the identification and selection of beneficiaries of the distribution of RUTF (Ready to Use Therapeutic Food)

• Weight Monitoring Cards were given to mothers and other primary caregivers of susceptible children, for easy tracking and monitoring of their progress in growth.

• A quarterly weigh-in of children ages 0-59 months was initially planned by the Barangay Nutrition Scholar, scheduled on the 1st week of January, April, July, and October

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Upcoming Activities:

 

• Following the protocols of social distancing, wearing of face masks, disinfection, and limiting movement to only essentials in the context of COVID-19 New Normal Setting, the following upcoming activities are as follows:

  • Conduct health teaching, focus group discussions (Mother’s class, lecture on First 1000 days, etc.) on a per-purok basis, ensuring social distancing use of facemasks and other PPEs, and 50% crowd capacity on location of choice.

  • Distribution of sample meal plans following the principles of DOH’s Pinggang Pinoy and National Nutrition Council’s 10 Kumainments, as an alternative to cooking show

  • A quarterly weigh-in of children ages 0-59 months will be strictly implemented by the Barangay Nutrition Scholar, scheduled on the 1st week of January, April, July, and October.

    • Distribution of MUAC tapes to mothers of underweight children, and health education on how to self-monitor their child’s progress using the tape, as an alternative to weigh-in

  • A Memorandum of Understanding will be notarized and entered by the Barangay Council and MAMMs

  • A breastfeeding corner will be launched at the BHS

  • Lactation Stations will be deployed at different public areas in the barangay, in compliance with RA no. 10028.

  • Deworming programs will involve 95-100% participation of all households.

    • IEC materials on deworming will be procured from different LGUs and other NGOs, to be disseminated and placed at different areas of high visibility.

  • The core group, in coordination with the barangay council, will survey possible sites for the communal garden, to be proposed during next exposure.

  • Identification of residents willing to study NC II for Organic Agriculture Production Training.

  • Assured lectures with community residents regarding proper gardening.