Free iron folic tablet for girls in the Volta Region

Girls between the ages of ten and 19 in the Volta Region are to be given free iron folic tablet weekly to prevent adolescent anaemia.

A demographic health survey conducted in 2013 revealed that 48.7 per cent of women of reproductive age in the Region were anaemic.

The initiative, dubbed “Girls Iron Folic Tablet” (GIFT), is under the auspices of the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with Ghana Education Service and supported by NGOs in Health.

Under the project, the tablet will be administered to female pupils and students in Junior High, Senior High, Vocational and Technical Schools every Wednesday after launch.

Mrs Bernice Kumutsor, Deputy Volta Regional Nutrition Officer, who gave the hint at a steering committee meeting for “Agenda 2YL Social Mobilization and Demand Generation,” said female teachers in the schools would also be given the tablet.

She said female adolescents who were out of school could visit Community-based Health Planning Services zones every month for the dose.

Mrs Kumutsor said her outfit was also sensitizing the female population in the country, especially those above 19 years to buy and take folic and iron tablets regularly to reduce anaemia cases.