Skip to main content

C. Valley’s anemic children up by 16% in national rate

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The number of children suffering from anemia or iron deficiency in Cagayan Valley is higher by 16 percent than the national rate, according to the latest survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).

Citing the said report, Rhodora Maestre, nutrition council director for Cagayan Valley, said that of those surveyed in the region, children aged five to six years old were found to be the most suffering anemia, even surpassing the national rate.

On the average, the report shows that for every five children in the region, two are suffering from anemia, a condition in which one has poor level of red blood cells, which provide oxygen to body tissues, that, if not treated during the early stages, may lead to serious health problems such as leukemia or cancer of the blood.

Likewise, 60 and 58 percent of pregnant and lactating women, respectively, in the region were also found to be lacking in iron in the body, which, if not treated during their child-bearing stage, could also lead to health disorders for their future babies.

“Women are more prone to the disorder because of their reproductive functions. Breastfeeding mothers basically are the source of the infants of their iron requirements. This lessens, if not depletes, the iron in the mother’s body,” Maestre said.

Health authorities described the latest FNRI findings as somewhat alarming since iron deficiency during the mothers’ child-bearing stage may lead to their infants’ abnormal or delayed mental and physical development as well as lower resistance to infections.

Maestre said that the high incidence of anemia in the region may have been caused by a diet low in iron or by poor absorption of iron by the body as well as lesser awareness of the rich food sources of iron and the infestation by parasitic organisms like hookworm.

Nutrition officials were in the province over the week in observance of the province’s own nutrition month in efforts to heighten the level of awareness on the importance of nutrition as a means to prevent iron and iodine deficiencies and other health disorders. CCL

Popular posts from this blog

NFRDI completes assessment of Buguey lagoon

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – Apprehensions over the protection of fishery and other natural resources, relative to the planned dredging of the Buguey Lagoon, can be put to rest after government agencies led by the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute has outlined a number of points to consider in order to forestall any negative effect of such activity . The lagoon, situated at Buguey town some 140 kilometers north of this capital city, is a center of fishery activities particularly seaweeds (Gracilaria) and oyster production, fry and crablets gathering, and fish cage operations. However, the area has been under threat recently due to heavy siltation and constriction resulting to poor water exchange. “The freshwater from the western end and saline water from the sea can not flow freely due to heavy siltation particularly at the portion near the main bridge which affects water quality and fishery operations in the lagoon,” Venchito Villarao, Coastal Resource Management spe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Isabela town gets national prominence from mungbean

SAN MATEO, Isabela—This region’s topmost major rice-producing province has recently gained national prominence among the country’s local government units with its production of mungbean, dubbed here as "black gold." This is especially true in this formerly obscure town, whose administration has been recently recognized by the prestigious Galing Pook Award for initiating years of painstaking research in the development of the said leguminous crop, known as munggo or balatong in the vernacular, which is now a major protein source. Last week, this town’s "black gold," now a leading summer crop here, has been instrumental in the town’s being bestowed the most-sought-after local government honor by no less that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a ceremony in Malacañang. Sponsored by Ford Foundation, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Local Government Academy and the Galing Pook Foundation, the Galing Pook Awards this year had 141 entries, with 19 landing as fi...
Post a Comment
Read more

DIDIPIO GOLD PROJECT STANDOFF CONTINUES

NV gov tells Atienza: ‘I’m in control of my senses’ By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – “I am not senseless with what I am doing.” This is what an obviously irate Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma said yesterday (10 May) in answer to statements of Environment Secretary Lito Atienza telling her to “come to her senses” and not to persist in moves to stop a foreign mining firm from operating here. Meanwhile, the talks between the provincial government and environment officials led by Mines and Geosciences Bureau national director Horacio Ramos have failed, as the provincial government refused to withdraw its cease and desist order until Australian firm Oceana Gold Philippines settles its quarrying fees due this province. The national government contracted Oceana Gold for the multibillion Didipio Gold-Copper Project in Kasibu town here, which is Cagayan Valley’s first large-scale mining venture, and so far one of the two projects approved by the government since the enactment of the ...
Post a Comment
Read more