Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a leading research-led, global pharmaceutical company, has partnered with Health Futures Foundation, Inc. (HFI) and the Municipality of Malinao to launch a comprehensive initiative to improve nutrition among children and pregnant/lactating women in the Philippines. The program, titled “Food Supplementation and Capacity Building Support for Improved Nutrition in Malinao, Aklan,” aims to reduce the number of malnourished children aged 0-5 years and support nutritionally-at-risk pregnant and lactating women.
The initiative will cover 23 barangays and will focus on providing dietary supplementation, nutrition gardening, and capacity-building for local health workers to enhance their ability to educate families on maternal and child nutrition, safe motherhood, and hygiene practices. The program aims to impact nearly 25,000 beneficiaries.
The launch of the initiative, attended by local officials and representatives from Glenmark and HFI, emphasized the importance of collaboration between government and private sectors to address the issue of malnutrition. Participants also emphasized the need for sustained efforts to break the cycle of malnutrition.
Glenmark’s Country Manager, Adeel Hasan, stated that addressing child malnutrition and maternal health is essential for the Philippines’ development, and that the company’s partnership with local government and HFI will ensure a tailored and effective intervention.
The program’s success will be based on its three key interventions: dietary supplementation, nutrition gardening, and capacity-building. It is expected to be a sustainable solution to address the issue of malnutrition and ensure long-term impact.
Glenmark and HFI are committed to working together to improve the health and well-being of marginalized communities in the Philippines, with the goal of scaling up the initiative to other underserved areas.