The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and its partner agencies have vowed to reduce, if not totally end, the malnutrition problem in the region.

Health officials in the BARMM introduced Monday the Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) 2020-2022, a strategic and comprehensive plan to respond to the nutritional problems in the area.

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr., the BARMM nutrition program coordinator, said the initiative has been ongoing but its launching was delayed due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.

Sinolinding has expressed confidence that malnutrition in the region will dramatically reduce by 2022 as BARMM has earned the support of international partner agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund Mindanao Field Office, the World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and Health Organization for Mindanao.

Sinolinding said the RPAN 2020-2022 is composed of 11 programs and 53 projects.

The programs include nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific programs, covering problems on Infant and Young Child Feeding and its first 1000 days, dietary supplementation, micronutrients and supplementation, nutrition promotion for behavior change, mandatory food fortification, nutrition in emergencies, Philippine Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition, adolescent health, overweight and obesity management intervention, and nutrition-sensitive and enabling program.

BARMM Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua, representing Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, received the documents of RPAN 2020-2022 from Sinolinding.

Ebrahim, also a member of the regional nutrition committee, said via video message that with RPAN 2020-2022, the regional government could figure out necessary measures to ensure a healthy Bangsamoro community.

“The documents allow us to see another aspect of rebuilding the Bangsamoro, not just during this transition period, but the countermeasures that the nutrition council has prepared because of the sudden disaster brought by the coronavirus disease 2019,” Ebrahim said.

Sinolinding said he has provided data on the prevalence of malnourished and undernutrition among children in the region.

He also underscored the importance of intensifying mobilization of local government units (LGUs) and reaching out Geographically-Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and Indigenous Peoples.

“The role of the LGUs is so important as they remain the champion of nutrition in their own turfs,” he said. (PNA)