Ghana’s economy is malnourished - Prof. Badu Akosa

Former Director of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa says until Ghana addresses the problem of malnutrition among children under five (5) years, the country will continue to have a malnourished economy.

According to him, over 5.5 million adults in Ghana today were malnourished as children noting if that number were properly nourished as children, they would have been actively contributing to the economy by now.

Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa said it is worrying that a country like Ghana after 60 years of independence is unable to provide sufficient and quality food for all children in the country.

He was speaking at the launch of Child Malnutrition Foundation’s (CMF) report on malnourished children between one and three years (1-3) for the year 2016 in Accra.

The CMF conducted a study in some hospitals and health facilities in the capital.

The study indicates that the weight of malnourished children increased and stabilised after they consumed 3 Vitamilk drink for only 6 weeks.

Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa further observed that “children under five years constitute 15 per cent of the population and those up to 15 years make up 44 per cent. Ghana, therefore, has a significant dependent population for which government policies must be geared to support.”

“We must all fight against malnutrition because it is capable of tipping an otherwise healthy child into malnourished which have a negative effect on our economy; And if we want to grow our economy we must start now by putting more effort on malnutrition. Just add small bean and groundnut paste into every food you want to give your child that is all,” he advised.

The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North constituency in the Eastern Region, Gifty Twum Ampofo, who represented the Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba, said government is working with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana School Feeding Programme to address the situation.