Maternal and Child Nutrition

Nutrition Targets 

• Ghana’s target is to reduce anaemia to 15%, wasting to 5%, and stunting to 15%—but current rates remain well above these goals.
• Exclusive breastfeeding rates are only 43%, far below the 70% target

• 23% of children under 2 years consume a minimum acceptable diet, putting them at risk of developmental delays and poor health.

Malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge in Ghana, particularly affecting mothers and children. Despite advances in healthcare infrastructure, maternal and child nutrition programs continue to suffer from inadequate budgetary allocations. This deficiency has resulted in persistently high rates of malnutrition-related conditions, such as stunting and wasting among children, and increased maternal mortality. 

The impact of malnutrition extends beyond immediate health outcomes, with long-term consequences that can impair cognitive development, increase vulnerability to infectious and chronic diseases, and reduce economic productivity and human capital development.

While the Ghanaian government has recognized the importance of improving healthcare systems and public health outcomes, its budgetary allocations to nutrition programs, specifically maternal and child health, remain insufficient to address the scope of the problem.

The lack of adequate funding undermines ongoing efforts to implement sustainable solutions. Moreover, limited financial resources affect the ability of local health institutions to provide critical nutrition interventions, including food supplementation, education, and maternal care. 

Advocacy for increased government leadership and funding for Maternal and Child Nutrition is crucial!