Supplemental Feeding

Modified Feeding Administration During the COVID-19 Pandemic

According to the 2020 Global Nutrition Report*, “Philippines still experiences a
malnutrition burden among its under-five population.” This is something that
needs utmost attention not just from the government but from all possible
stakeholders including the Church, because and as the Global Nutrition Report also
notes, “Covid-19 does not treat us equally. Undernourished people have weaker
immune systems, and may be at greater risk of severe illness due to the virus.”
Furthermore, “Good nutrition is an essential part of an individual’s defence
against Covid-19” and against any other illnesses. (*Reference:
https://globalnutritionreport.org/reports/2020-global-nutrition-report/)

In response to the increased risk and susceptibility of malnourished children to
illness during the pandemic, HAPAG-ASA through its partners nationwide continues
to respond to the malnutrition situation. HAPAG-ASA, after consultations with
partners on the ground, have come up with various modified program delivery
options in implementing the program during the pandemic, underscoring safety of
both the program workers and the program recipients especially the children. These options are namely (1) Home-Based Feeding, (2) Clustered Feeding Site, and (3) Centralized Kitchen-Home Feeding. Partners, depending on their respective community’s quarantine protocols may choose from the 3 options for implementing the Hapag-Asa program.

nuns giving donations

 

HOME-BASED FEEDING

  • Uncooked MannaPack Fortified Rice(with raw food ingredients) delivered to children’s homes
  • Allocations may be fo 2 weeks or monthly basis
  • Feeding coordinators are mainly the parents
    • Safer option
    • More challenging in terms of ensuring actual feeding of the child and monitoring
    • Needs guidance for parents thru leaflets, manuals in local language. Gabay para sa Magulang

B. CLUSTERED FEEDING SITE

  • Feeding will be onsite
  • A group of 10 children or less from a contiguous area will be fed in the strategically selected feeding site
    • Needs coordination and approval from the barangay or LGU
    • Proper safety potocols onsite need to be obsereved
    • Easier Monitoring

C. CENTRALIZED KITCHEN- HOME FEEDING

  • Food cooked in a centralized kitchen then delivered to children’s homes from a clustered area
    • Could be challenging in terms of ensuring actual feeding of the child
    • Provides opportunity for some monitoring
    • Utmost hygiene and sanitation during food preparation, packaging and delivery must be observed

 

For further details about the Modified Program Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic, please click here

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