Proper maternal, child nutrition contribute to reduction in maternal and child mortality – THP-Ghana

The Hunger Project-Ghana (THP-Ghana) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Services (GHS) on Monday, 19 February 2018 commenced a five-day training workshop in Koforidua, on accelerating interventions aimed at improving infant and young child feeding at the community level.

The five-day training workshop on Community based Infant and Young Child Feeding running under the Maternal and Child Health Care project will help reduce the worrying maternal and child mortality ratio in the country considerably.

Fast-tracking interventions aimed at improving infant and young child feeding (IYCF) at community level is a key priority in the effort to improve survival, growth, and development of children with equity.

However, in many communities, IYCF practices remain far from ideal. Caregivers often lack the practical support, one-to-one counselling and correct information.

Community-based IYCF counselling and support can play an important role in improving these practices: it can ensure access to these services in the poorest and the most vulnerable communities with limited access to health care, and therefore become an important strategy for programming with an even-handedness focus.

Maternal and Child Health Project Coordinator at THP-Ghana, Stephanie Ashley, in an interview with Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, said the training aims to equip participants with the required skills needed on Community Infant and Young Child Feeding and also on reproductive health.

Stephanie Ashley added that project officers who will benefit from the training, are expected to lead behavioural change campaigns in their respective communities.

"Effecting behavioural change is quite challenging because some individuals are used to old methods and when they are asked to adapt to change, it becomes difficult. So the project officers and community health nurses will be equipped with requisite skills so they are able to effect the change through the use of practical examples so the residents will be well informed on positive maternal child health practices,’’ she added.

She also indicated that counselling will be tailored to suit the resources available to community members in order for parents to appropriately feed the infant or the young child with what they can easily provide.

Fifteen (15) Community Health Nurses working in 15 epicentre clinics in rural Ghana and THP-Ghana’s Project Officers who are supervising the activities of THP Ghana at their various epicentres will benefit from this week-long workshop.