Poor nutrition in children cost the nation

The country may lose nearly $300 million as a direct result of poor nutrition in children below the age of five, if malnutrition in children is not properly addressed in the next five years, Dr Gladys Ashitey, Deputy Minister of Health, has noted.
She said the problem of malnutrition in the sub-region seemed to be a struggle that had not gained the required attention at the political and technical level.
At the second Scientific Meeting organised by the Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa in Accra, Dr Ashitey said it had been estimated that if the present levels of malnutrition in children were not reduced in the next five years, "moderate to severe malnutrition will account for over 214,000 child deaths" in the sub-region.
According to her, 28 per cent of children in Ghana who were stunted would grow up to be stunted adults with reduced physical capacity and productivity, adding that it would also contribute to about 10 per cent of infant deaths in the country.
She observed that the control of this problem fell largely outside the confines of hospitals and clinics, noting that the issue of choice, counselling and knowledge would play a significant role in attempts to bring the situation under control.
She said optimal feeding would account for 14 per cent of all acute respiratory infections and 23 per cent of all diarrhoeal cases, stating that Vitamin A deficiency would also account for one out of every six child deaths.
The elimination of malnutrition, she indicated, would save families and households about $11 million, whilst the government would save nearly $58 million on sick children.
She expressed the hope that in developing appropriate programmes for the management of malnutrition in Ghana and Africa as a whole, the role of women in determining the status of family health would be considered, since that was a serious problem in both the control and management of the family.
"In looking at the way forward, we need to work around this problem while at the same time work with other sectors to create the environment for ensuring an improved level of female literacy and female understanding of malnutrition and its management," she stated.
The Country Manager of Nestle Ghana Limited, Mr Samer Chedid, said the aim of the meeting was to ensure that healthcare professionals in Africa understood how every stage in life was enhanced through adequate provision of basic nutrition.
She said the objective of the meeting, "building sound nutrition foundation for the future" was vital because of the Institute's role as a multidisciplinary, educational organisation dedicated to furthering the understanding of nutrition for people of all ages.
"The Institute provides information, guidance and support to using the latest scientific discoveries and their implications to achieving optimal nutrition," she stated, adding that the theme for the meeting, "Micronutrient deficiencies in children under five years: And the way forward" was of utmost concern not only to healthcare professionals but to everyone.
She noted that micronutrient deficiency was a major public health and development challenge for the most vulnerable group, children under five years in developing countries, and would affect approximately two billion people worldwide, which was equivalent to one third of the world's population.
Mr Chedid stated that Nestle's primary contribution to combat the phenomenon was to support global and national initiatives to reduce and minimise its impact on both present and unborn generations.
"Some of our corporate social responsibility programmes are driven by the Nestle Ghana Duchess Club, and one of the club's programme is based on the nutrition in pregnancy and children less than five years," she observed.