The Coalition of Actors for Public Health Advocacy (CAPHA) commends the Government of Ghana for prioritising maternal and child nutrition in its newly announced 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Commitments, presented at the just-ended N4G Summit in Paris. This significant policy stance follows CAPHA’s earlier public call in December 2024, urging the government to place maternal and child health at the centre of its N4G agenda. The organisation’s call, published on GhanaWeb, highlighted the urgent need for action on stunting, anaemia, dietary diversity, and low birth weight among vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.
CAPHA is encouraged to see that its call has been heeded, with the government making bold, measurable commitments that directly address maternal and child health. Specifically, Commitment 1 outlines a clear roadmap to halve stunting in children under five, reduce anaemia in women of reproductive age by 50%, reduce low birth weight by 30%, and increase exclusive breastfeeding to 70%. These ambitious targets are in line with the World Health Assembly Nutrition Targets and mark a critical step forward in tackling Ghana’s longstanding nutrition challenges.
Further demonstrating its commitment, the government has pledged under Commitment 7 to implement evidence-informed strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies in women of reproductive age — including the designation of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) as a standard component of routine antenatal care. This intervention, widely backed by global evidence, can significantly improve maternal health outcomes and fetal development.
Equally notable is Commitment 5, which commits to extending maternity leave from 12 weeks to at least 18 weeks across all sectors. CAPHA applauds this progressive policy shift, recognising its potential to support exclusive breastfeeding, maternal recovery, and optimal child care during the most critical phase of a child’s development.
CAPHA also recognises the importance of Commitment 2, which focuses on the full implementation of the National Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) and aims to improve household food environments. The commitment includes public awareness campaigns, training of health and agriculture professionals, the elimination of industrially produced trans-fatty acids, and the application of Ghana’s Double-Duty Nutrient Profiling System to guide front-of-pack labelling, food marketing, and public food procurement. These interventions are essential to reshaping dietary patterns, particularly for young children and pregnant women, whose nutritional needs are most acute.
These commitments, if fully implemented, will significantly advance Ghana’s progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 5 (Gender Equality). However, CAPHA stresses that the true impact of these commitments will depend on the government’s ability to translate them into sustained, well-funded, and communitylevel actions.
We therefore call on the Government of Ghana to move beyond policy declarations and walk the talk. This includes ensuring dedicated financial allocations (as stated in Commitment 9, which pledges at least USD 6 million annually for nutrition commodities), improving intersectoral coordination, and establishing robust accountability systems to track progress. CAPHA stands ready to support the government in this process and will continue to advocate for the voices of women and children to remain central in Ghana’s nutrition agenda.
Maternal and child nutrition is not just a health issue — it is a national development imperative. Let us seize this opportunity to deliver real results for Ghana’s future generations.
Issued by:
Coalition of Actors for Public Health Advocacy (CAPHA)
Contact: info@capha.org | www.capha.org