Illustrative image (Photo: Philstar)Hanoi (VNA) - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directorson June 22 approved a 178.1 million USD loan to help the Philippines combatmalnutrition.
The WB said thePhilippines Multisectoral Nutrition Project will support the delivery ofnutrition and health care services at the primary care and community levels tohelp reduce stunting – characterized by prolonged nutritional deficiency amonginfants and young children – in 235 municipalities known to have high incidenceof poverty and malnutrition.
Ndiamé Diop,World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand said improving the nutritional statusof children is key to the country’s goals of boosting human capital whilestrengthening the country’s economic recovery and prospects for long-termgrowth.
The WBsaid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to exacerbate the food andnutrition security of vulnerable Filipino households. Globally, food prices,already on the rise since the second half of 2020, have reached an all-timehigh in February 2022, leading to food security problems around the world. Theseevents indicate that unless immediate action is taken, millions of Filipinochildren will face the increased risk of undernutrition and likely suffer theconsequences of poor school performance and low adult productivity./.
