Filipino children are suffering stunted growth due to a lack of nutrition and sanitation.
More studies have shown that there’s been an increase in the number of Filipino families who live below the poverty line that are suffering from malnutrition and other diseases caused by lack of sanitation.
They barely earn enough money to provide proper meals and a suitable place to live in. The Philippine Statistics Authority backed up this statement and says that proper sanitation, food, and nutrition aren’t included in the highest priority of impoverished Filipino families.
With these rough conditions, Filipino children are more vulnerable to contracting deadly diseases. Diarrhea has a long-lasting effect on the growth of children and if left untreated, can cause death. According to the Department of Health, diarrhea remains to be one of the leading causes of death among children under five years old – both worldwide and in the country.
Other contributing factors to children contracting diarrhea include unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene.
The cycle of malnutrition and inadequate sanitation
Without proper nutrition, children may suffer from stunted growth, which is also detrimental to the mental and physical development of children and affects their ability to learn in school and later on in life. World Bank Group’s Undernutrition report states that 1 in 3 children under the age of five suffers from stunting, or being too small for their age.
Unfortunately, several regions in the Philippines are suffering especially the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which stands out with 45% of children under five stunted.
Erceflora Kiddie takes action
The needs of these vulnerable children are one of Erceflora Kiddie’s priorities, which is why they hope to address this deeply rooted problem through their “Batang Matatag” (Resilient Child) campaign. Through this campaign, children’s resilience and gut health can be tackled.
“Erceflora Kiddie is a great product to help address the gut imbalance, but we realized we needed to take more concrete action and address the misconceptions about hygiene through education on food, gut resilience, and proper hygiene and create community kitchens that can provide regular access to clean water and nutritious food in the area. This is how ‘Batang Matatag’ came about,” says J Ann Mirasol, Head of Marketing of Sanofi Consumer Health Care.
The Erceflora Kiddie team is also aware of the dire needs of the children in BARMM, which is why they’re looking for ways for the communities in BARMM to have access to clean water and nutritious food.
Erceflora Kiddie believes that good nutrition is important in building a foundation for economic prosperity. Filipino children who receive proper nutrition have a greater chance of developing their cognitive skills and being successful.
Through the “Batang Matatag” campaign, the company wants to give the children in BARMM a chance to grow and live life as productive Filipino who can contribute to the growth of the country.
“We hope that this partnership between Erceflora Kiddie and Save the Children could potentially lead BARMM and the country one step closer to improving the health and nutrition status of the Filipino youth,” says Vanee Gosengfiao, General Manager of Sanofi Consumer Health Care.
Featured Image Paulo Correa
