Month: September 2021

Nutritional Intervention is defined as purposefully planned actions intended to positively change a nutrition-related behavior, environmental condition, or aspect of health status for an individual, target group or the community at large.
There are quite a number of nutrition problems in Lower Manya and Ghana as a whole which includes; Vitamin deficiency, Poor Infant and Young Child Nutrition and maternal nutritional anaemia.
To positively change some behaviors to improve on the nutritional status of the populace, some interventions have been put in place to help tackle some of the nutrition problems.
Below are some Nutrition Specific Interventions in the Municipality.
1. GIRLS’ IRON FOLATE TABLET SUPPLEMENTATION (GIFTS).
This is an intervention aimed at laying the nutrition foundation for childbearing. Providing Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplements during adolescence and continuing into adulthood which improves iron status and reduces the risk of developing iron deficiency and anaemia.
It is programmed to provide weekly IFA supplements to adolescents 10-19 years through
schools and health facilities.

2. COMMUNITY-INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD NUTRITION (C-IYCF)
This is an intervention aimed at providing appropriate counselling sections for mothers and caregivers to allow them the opportunity to make informed choices in the feeding of their wards to prevent malnutrition and also for optimal growth. In this, health workers are also equipped with skills appropriate to inform caregivers through action-oriented sections and support groups.

3. MICRONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTATION
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by the body in very small amounts. However, their impact on a body’s health is critical and deficiency in any of them can cause severe and even life-threatening conditions. In Ghana, Vitamin A, Iron and Iodine are of major concern and continues to undermine health and development across all age groups hence Vitamin A and Micronutrient powder (MNP) supplementation and also the promotion of the consumption of “THE 4 STAR DIET”.
Vitamin A capsules are given to children 6-59 months every 6 months. While 6-11 months children are given 100,000iu of Vitamin A, 12-59 months are given 200,000iu when they go for child welfare clinic.
The micronutrient powder is however given to children 6-24 months. They are in small sachets of 1g with a box containing 30 sachets with each sachets containing 15 essential vitamins and minerals. Every child is required to take a sachet per day; the contents are mixed with small portions of solid or semi-solid food just before serving.

Whereas all these services can be assessed at the various Health Centres, CHPS and Hospitals, the Iron Folate supplements are also being assessed in the public schools; Upper primary through to Senior High and Vocational schools where the target group 10-19 can be found.
4. Growth Monitoring and Promotion
5. Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)
6. Nutrition Counseling and Education