A national child nutrition campaign, �Aduane Pa Ma Asetena Pa� (Good Food for Good Life) has been launched in Accra by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.
This campaign aims at improving feeding practices, especially when the child is six months old to help ensure that every child gets the best start in life.
The �Good Food for Good Life� campaign is supported by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development�s (USAID) Behavior Change Support (BCS) Project.
Malnutrition among young children has consequences on a child�s growth and development, potentially leading to impaired brain development, learning problems, physical weakness and poor motor skills.
About four out of every five Ghanaian children under five years old have anemia. Also, three out of every five Ghanaian women of childbearing age have anemia.
�The importance of good nutrition, especially during early childhood, cannot be underestimated towards achieving the full potential of our people and our nation. This is why Ghana has taken a leadership role in the Scaling Up Nutrition, (SUN) Framework, and is one of the leading nations among the SUN �early riser� countries. With the �Aduane Pa Ma Asetena Pa� campaign, we take another large step forward towards achieving our nutrition goals,� said the Honorable Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. Rojo Mettle Nunoo.
This innovative and educational campaign features animated Ghanaian Food �Super Hero� characters: Baba Body-Building, Panyin and Kakra the Protective Twins, Kofi Energy, Mansa Breast milk, and Super Nana. The Super Heroes teach mothers and caregivers the importance of feeding children, starting at the age of six months, the right balance from the three food groups, in addition to breast milk.
It will be broadcast nationally on mass media, as well as feature in community mobilization and interpersonal approaches in the BCS Project focal regions of Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions.
Ms. Cheryl Anderson, USAID/Ghana Mission Director said, �The U.S. Government is proud to support the Government of Ghana as it scales up proven, cost-effective actions to improve nutrition and ensure that �every child lives to reach his or her 5th birthday.�
The �Good Food for Good Life� campaign is part of the Ghana Health Service�s overarching �Good Life� health promotion campaign addressing a variety of major public health issues in Ghana, including child nutrition, family planning, malaria prevention and treatment, and other health issues.
The USAID Behaviour Change Support (BCS) project implemented by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, provides technical assistance to the GHS for the campaign.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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