Department of Health (DoH) Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire met with Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian to discuss the implementation of a nutrition program aimed at the first 1,000 days of a child's life.

The Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project aims to reduce childhood wasting and stunting through the support of nutrition and health care services at the primary care and community levels.

During the meeting held at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) main office in Quezon City on Tuesday, Vergeire and Gatchalian discussed ways on how to strengthen nutrition-sensitive interventions that are focused on a child's first 1,000 days.

Vergeire said that there is a need for both agencies to work together in implementing the project to solve the multisectoral issues of addressing nutrition at the community level.

She added that there is a need to properly execute programs by engaging communities in the implementation phases of nutrition programs.

The two officials also discussed the Kalahi-Cidss (Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) program, as well as other measures to provide quality nutrition services to halt stunting among the young.

Among the agreements that are being highlighted in the meeting include maintaining clean community water sources, educating children on nutrition, and employing a bottom-up approach in addressing perennial nutrition issues.

'As the DoH continues to provide quality healthcare services to all Filipinos, we will continue to work with our key partners such as the DSWD in ensuring that all of our initiatives, particularly our nutrition services, are geared toward the holistic welfare of everyone,' Vergeire said.