UN report shows rise in underweight children in Ghana

Koforidua, Aug. 13, GNA - The number of underweight children as a result of malnutrition continues to rise in Ghana, a progress report of the UN Special Session on children has revealed.

The report indicated that one in every five children in Ghana, representing 18 percent of the child population, was underweight whilst 22 percent stunted or too short for their age. Five percent of children were also found be too thin for their height. According to the report, few children were found to be overweight against recent observation that children across the world were becoming obese.

Mr Kyei Gyamfi, of the Information Research and Advocacy Division (IRAD) of the Ministry of Children and Women's Affairs (MOWAC), who presented the report at a regional stakeholders meeting in Koforidua, therefore called for action on the findings of the report. He said the report indicated that exclusive breastfeeding and the used of iodized salt were also lower than that recommended in Ghana. About 54 percent of children less than six months, he said, were exclusively breastfed and in terms of salt iodization, the percentage of household usage was 49 per cent with only 32 percent used iodized salt. Mr Gyamfi said the report showed evidence of children involved in commercial sex work in Ghana and that the country serves as a transit point for child trafficking.

He said it also provided information on the progress made with the World Fit for Children (WFFC) goals of a UN Declaration on the Rights of Children, the Millennium Development Goals and goals critical to Ghana's own agenda for growth and prosperity.

Mrs Florence Ayisi-Quartey, of the IRAD-MOWAC said the report covered the first five years of the United Nations' 10-year goals to ensure the child's rights, survival, development and protection. She said it is termed the Plus 5 Review Report and stressed that the findings showed that there were various gaps that needed to be filled to ensure that Ghana presented a better report in the next five years at the UN.