By Minerva BC Newman
TAGBILARAN CITY – Bohol Governor Arthur Yap launched on Wednesday a 60-day community milk feeding program for children of tender ages in 17 towns to augment their nutrition and help boost their immune system against the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
(Bohol Dairy Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN)
The program is in coordination with the Education Development Center, Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, Provincial Health Office, and Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) of Bohol prioritizing some 5,130 vulnerable children with ages two to five in identified localities with high malnutrition rate.
Constant milk provision in two months is essential to boosting their immune system amidst the COVID-19 scare, according to the PNC, and drinking milk regularly promotes the overall health condition and well-being of these children.
Aside from providing the nutritional need of the children, the program supports the livelihood of the dairy farmers to ensure the steady source of income from the sustained demand for milk and encourages them to increase milk production, Yap said.
Pre-packed fresh milk will be delivered on a weekly basis to the identified municipalities with the barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) handling the milk distribution to the recipients in their respective areas.
The program with the slogan, "COVID-19 Sugpo-on. Malnutrisyon Wagtangon" is the governor’s latest health initiative amid the COVID-19 threat which has not spared even newborn babies.