TACLOBAN CITY – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) regional office here recently conducted five-day training for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) in nutritionally depressed Libagon town in Southern Leyte.

Sponsored by the Plan International, the said training held in Endrigas-Bals beach resort was attended by nearly 30 BNS coming from the villages of Libagon.

Carina Santiago, NNC-8 Regional nutrition program coordinator, said that the activity is part of the agency’s effort to mobilize local implementer of nutrition programs in the region.

The NNC regional chief has knowledge the role of BNS in uplifting the nutritional status of children and in promoting nutrition education and home-based nutrition approach.

‘We are doing our share to provide BNS with adequate and appropriate knowledge, attitude, skills and practice which they need to deliver and facilitate the delivery of nutrition and health-related services to their barangays,” Santiago explained.

Activities during the week-long training included discussion and planning on basic nutrition, familiarization of municipal nutrition committee functions, growth monitoring, Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN), barangay situational analysis, barangay nutrition action plan, among others.

Santiago reported that Libagon town ranked third in the province in terms of most nutritionally depressed municipality in 2003 at 26 percent but the situation has slightly improved this year to only 19.29 percent.

Nutrition-related problems will be addressed in the said town if there would be more strengthened coordination between the BNS and barangay officials, she pointed out.

The BNS program is a strategy under the PPAN which involves the training, deployment and supervision of volunteer workers who are tasked to take acre for the malnourished, mobilize the community, and building linkages.