NGO holds health and nutrition educational programme

Accra, June 27, GNA - The Partnership for Child Development (PCD), a child centred NGO in collaboration with the Community Outreach Alliance (COA), has held a health and nutrition educational programme to alert residents of Teshie-Nungua on health maintenance.

Drama groups and pupils of basic schools in Teshie-Nungua performed plays to educate the public about nutrition and health values.

Ms Abigail Bondzie, Programme Officer of PCD Ghana, said the exercise was part of the behaviour change project of the organisation.

She explained that most of the food given to school children under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) are not nutritious; therefore the education would make parents who do not provide nutritious meals to their wards at homes do so.

Ms Bondzie said the organisation is providing technical assistance to the GSFP to enhance the meals given to children in schools, and also undertaking a de-worming exercise for Teshie-Nungua residents.

She said the programme which was patronised mostly by children would help the organisation know the impact the GSFP is having on the children.

Mr Nicholas K. Duho, Project Coordinator of COA, said the programme was necessary because the highest percentage of food the ordinary Ghanaian eat everyday is made of carbohydrate with little or no balanced diet.

He said although some of the people are aware of the advantages of a balanced diet, they eat only carbohydrate food such as kenkey because deserts such as fruits are very expensive in the country.

Mr Duho appealed to farmers to make prices of their produces especially fruits moderate to enable the ordinary Ghanaian to purchase.

GNA