Three Northern regions top malnourished chart – Report

A new hunger report on Ghana has revealed that the population of all the three northern regions suffer from malnutrition.

The Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions topped the table of the population malnourished in the country.

The National Development Planning Commission is concerned about the development and is rolling out programmes in its 40-year development plan to tackle the crisis.

Speaking at the launch of the cost of hunger in Africa-Ghana study, technical advisor to the NDPC, Dr. Grace Bediako called for concerted efforts to ensure food security.

According to the report, 37% of the adult population in Ghana suffered from stunting as children, while 10.5% of all repetitions in school are associated with stunting in children.

The hunger report on Ghana also revealed that 24% of all child mortality cases in the country are associated with malnutrition.

However, the report stated that stunting has declined from 23 to 19% in Ghana among children.

It also stated that only one out of three people suffering from malnutrition received adequate medical attention.

The annual cost associated with child under nutrition is estimated at 4.6 billion cedis equivalent to 6.4% of Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Meanwhile, the former Director General of the Ghana Health Service Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa blamed lack of political will for the country's inability to tackle malnutrition.

“Neither government nor development partners were interested in funding this plan, it is not surprising given that it is politically irrelevant due to its invincibility and even when investments are made, the results do not manifest immediately,” Prof. Akosa said.