The Valenzuela City government has launched “Operation Timbang Plus” (OPT Plus) that aims to measure the height and weight of children and give them deworming tablets and vitamin A drops to address malnutrition in the city.
According to the City’s Public Information Office (PIO), the program conducted by the City Health Office is an annual monitoring of both the height and weight of all preschool children aged 0-59 months.
It started last Jan. 22 in Disiplina Village, Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City.
They also added that OPT Plus will be conducted in all 33 barangays in the city until March this year.
The City Health Office’s Nutrition Unit said that OPT Plus, which is conducted every first quarter of the year, seeks to address the nutritional well-being of children.
City doctors will provide deworming tablets and Vitamin A, and they will adjust the dosages based on the child's age and health history to enhance their overall nutrition, it added.
In addition, Barangay Nutrition Scholars were assigned to areas to oversee the accurate weigh-in sessions and height measurements.
Moreover, parents and guardians will receive instruction on the proper deworming procedures at-home for their children.
The PIO stated that children under 5 years of age will undergo a weigh-in session using the National Nutrition Council's (NNC) preferred salter-type weighing scale.
This helps to determine the appropriate dosage of a child before giving a chewable deworming tablet and drops of Vitamin A to improve vision and a reinforced immune system.
Furthermore, the collected data from the OPT Plus program will be utilized for the city’s nutrition program planning which involves evaluation and improvement of local nutrition programs in combating malnutrition in the city.
Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie “WES” Gatchalian urged the parents and guardians to participate in Operation Timbang Plus in their respective barangays.
“Bilang isang magulang din, mahalaga na makibahagi po tayo sa pag-monitor kung sapat o kulang ang timbang ng ating mga anak depende sa kanilang edad. Mabuti rin na mabigyan sila ng deworming tablets at Vitamin A nang sa gayon ay maging ligtas at protektado ang mga bata sa mikrobyo na maaaring makuha sa kapaligiran at mga pinupuntahang lugar (As a parent myself, it is important for us to take part in monitoring the weight and height of our children, as these should match their age. Deworming tablets and Vitamin A intakes are also good for them to be safe and protected against microbes that can be obtained in the environment and places where they go),” he said.