Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11148)
Republic Act No. 11148 is officially known as the "Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act."
The main objective is to scale up health and nutrition programs through a strengthened integrated strategy for maternal, neonatal, child health, and nutrition in the first one thousand (1,000) days of a child's life, particularly targeting pregnant and lactating women, adolescent females, and children from zero to two years old.
The Act covers nutritionally at-risk individuals, especially pregnant and lactating women (including teenage mothers), women of reproductive age, adolescent girls, and all Filipino children from birth up to 24 months of age. Priority is given to those in disaster-prone areas, Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), and vulnerable sectors.
The first one thousand (1,000) days of life refer to the period spanning the nine months in the womb (from conception) to the first twenty-four (24) months after birth, which is considered critical for promoting health, development, and preventing malnutrition and its lifelong consequences.
The Department of Health (DOH), the National Nutrition Council (NNC), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with other National Government Agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders.
The program will be implemented at the barangay level through rural health units and/or barangay health centers, in coordination with the Sangguniang Barangay, with mobilization and support for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and Barangay Health Workers (BHWs).
Prenatal care services include pregnancy tracking and antenatal care enrollment, regular follow-up visits, maternal immunizations, counseling on nutrition and breastfeeding, identification and management of nutritionally at-risk pregnant women, provision of micronutrient supplements, and promotion of healthy lifestyle practices among others.
The Act strengthens enforcement of the National Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (Milk Code) and the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 to protect, promote, and support optimal infant and young child feeding, including the prohibition of unauthorized donations of breastmilk substitutes during emergencies.
The NNC serves as the highest policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition. It formulates national nutrition policies, oversees program integration, coordinates planning and budgeting, monitors and evaluates programs, and calls upon government agencies for assistance in implementing the Act.
GIDAs are areas isolated due to distance, geographical isolation, weather conditions, and lack of transportation. They include unserved or underserved communities with limited access to services, high poverty incidence, vulnerable sectors, or in crisis or conflict situations recognized by the government.
Priority LGUs are those with the highest prevalence of undernutrition among target groups, facilities or capabilities to implement the program, prioritization of nutrition programs in their locality, and willingness to provide counterpart resources.
Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person's intake of protein, energy, and/or nutrients, including undernutrition (such as stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies) and overnutrition (overweight and obesity).
Services include lactation support and counseling, nutrition assessment and supplementation, identification and management of malnutrition, organization of support groups, provision of lactation breaks and stations at workplaces, micronutrient supplementation, family planning counseling, and ensuring women-friendly spaces during emergencies.
It mandates prioritized delivery of health and nutrition services, emergency food supplies, women and child-friendly spaces, breastfeeding support, prohibition of unauthorized breastmilk substitute donations, and coordination with disaster management councils for humanitarian and inclusive standards.
They are mobilized at the barangay level to implement health and nutrition services and interventions, are provided with training and resources to perform their duties effectively.