Samar became the first province in Eastern Visayas to launch the First 1,000 Days Program meant to curb the high cases of stunting among preschool children.

The National Nutrition Council (NNC) said the high incidence of stunting has encouraged local officials to launch a more focused effort to combat one of the irreversible effects of malnutrition.

“We are happy that the local government is bringing this initiative to a higher level through the launching of Tatak Tangkad: Samar’s First 1,000 Days program. It aims to reduce stunting and all forms of malnutrition among children 0-23 months old,” NNC regional nutrition program coordinator Catalino Dotollo said in a phone interview Tuesday.

The province launched the campaign on May 14, attended by key health and nutrition officials, mayors, local legislators, and representatives of non-government organizations.

The program will focus on services on nutrition, health, early learning and social services for pregnant women and children below two years old.

Key nutrition interventions for the first six months include adequate nutrition and care during pregnancy, support to exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life, giving complementary food starting at six months, and continued breastfeeding up to two years and even beyond.

Among the six provinces in the region, Samar has the highest prevalence of stunting at 26.1 percent, according to the 2020 reports from the local governments. About 10,743 children (0 to 59 months) in Samar have been suffering from impaired growth.

In a social media post on Monday, Samar Governor Michael Tan said they are seeking to bring down the number of stunted children by 25 percent in 2025.

Stunting is the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation.

Stunting, especially in the first 1,000 days (from conception until the age of two) has harmful consequences for the individual and society, such as low educational performance, low adult wages, lost productivity, increased risk of non-communicable diseases, and even death.

The first 1,000 days cover the pregnancy period and the child’s first two years of life. This period has been called the “golden window of opportunity” during which delivery of health, nutrition, and early learning interventions will result in optimum physical and brain development. (PNA)