GDCA To Tackle Malnutrition Among Children

The Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), a local NGO operating in the Northern region has organised a two-day seminar with stakeholders to tackle the challenges of child malnourishment in the Region.

The event was on the theme: 'Child Nutrition and Health' and formed part of the 24th Denmark Seminar of the GDCA held in Dalun in the Kumbungu District, which is celebrated annually in Ghana for members of GDCA.

Members of the GDCA and the public meet annually to deliberate on relevant topical issues that affect national development, nutrition and health care of the nation's future leaders.

Dr Osman Alhassan, the chairman of GDCA said, the seminar was an important event used to re-affirm cultural exchange and friendship bond between GDCA and its Danish counterparts.

He said experts in nutrition and Public Health, the Ghana Health service (GHS), civil society groups and traditional Authorities would put in their collective effort that would immediately help address barriers to quality health care in the region.

Mr Salifu Saeed, the Northern Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf expressed delight at activities of the GDCA, which had helped improve living conditions of the rural people and promoting good governance within northern region.

He commended and thanked the Ghana Friends in Denmark for their support to GDCA to help women groups in producing local food stuffs that had also helped in enhancing the welfare of families especially children.

He said, 'Many children suffer from health issues due to malnutrition, which is the underline cause of one third of all child deaths in the country' and that more than one in every five children in Ghana is suffering from chronic malnutrition.

Mr Mohammed Hashim, the DCE for Mion District Assembly said they would collaborate with GDCA and its Danish counterparts to create a soya beans factory in Sang, as means of creating jobs for the teeming youth and women groups to alleviate poverty.

He urged policy makers, Traditional authorities, development actors and the general public to take pragmatic measures to help improve child nutrition to eliminate the negative effects of under nutrition among children.