GHS, GES engages stakeholders on the implementation of NFSI   

In the Bono region, a significant number of children are classified malnourished despite the region’s categorization as a food basket for a variety of crops.

GHS, GES engages stakeholders on the implementation of NFSI   
Malnourished child

The Ghana Health Service in partnership with the Ghana Education Service is engaging stakeholders in the Bono Region on the implementation of Nutrition Friendly School Initiatives (NFSI).

The initiative aims at eradicating malnutrition among school children and enlighten students knowledge in nutrition.

School children aged between 4 and 15 years in the twelve (12) Districts in the Bono Region are to benefit from the Nutrition Friendly Schools Initiative (NFSI) spearheaded by the Ghana Health Service and Ghana Education Service.

The UNICEF funded initiative is to support children suffering from malnourishment and other nutrition-related health conditions to ensure the holistic health of the young growing population of the country.

Baseline surveys of the Ghana Health Service point to stunting, obesity and micronutrients deficiency as the major burdens of poor nutrition among children in Ghana.

In the Bono region, a significant number of children are classified malnourished despite the region’s categorization as a food basket for a variety of crops.

This comes with its attendant problems of poor school attendance, poor brain development and the adoption of unhealthy eating patterns that affect the child’s academic and biological outcomes in later life.

NFSI is structured to use teachers and educating health professionals to promote and enforce positive eating nutrition and health routines among beneficiary children.

The program is expected to come up with modalities that will cover areas of positive eating routines, physical exercises, safe environments, water and sanitation.

Explaining the motivation for the exercise, a nutritionist with the Bono Regional Health Directorate indicated that the nutrition programs are targeted at school children, schools and food vendors in schools.

He said they are optimistic the Nutrition Friendly School Initiative will be scaled up to cover other deserving districts if positive outcomes are recorded.

Teachers and school health education professionals have been scheduled for training to carry out activities under the project in their various schools.

Nana Ama Asiedu