Stunting is a human development disaster. It increases the chances of death in children, and if they do survive, it could still leave permanent scars on socioeconomic circumstances in their adult years. In the Philippines, one in every three children is chronically malnourished, a level comparable to the poorest countries in the world. Therefore, this Policy Notes stresses the urgent need to improve the nutritional status of children. It argues that strengthening the health system could greatly help address chronic malnutrition among children. This includes the implementation of critical provisions of the Universal Health Care Act (Republic Act 1123), particularly the expansion of the comprehensive primary care benefit and creation of an integrated healthcare network. Likewise, it notes that the delivery of health and nutrition services must also be comprehensive, converged, and continuous to be effective.
Breaking the Curse: How Do We Address Chronic Malnutrition in the Philippines?
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