Adaklu District
Improving Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition
When a mother is undernourished during pregnancy, her own nutritional health isn’t the only health at stake. Any complications brought on by low nutrition during pregnancy, such as anaemia, hypertension, miscarriages, premature delivery, or maternal death, will have an effect on her child as well. Many children born to mothers who are undernourished will likely grow up stunted or malnourished themselves. These children grow up (especially girls), their options and autonomy will be equally stunted.
Stunting, wasting, and other health complications that come from a lack of proper food and nutrients are contributors to the cycle of poverty. The related health issues that come from this very preventable cause include lower cognitive skills (which means they won’t get as much out of their education), chronic health issues, and fewer opportunities to reach their full potential and — ideally — break the cycle of poverty. When we talk about poverty being generational, this is what we mean.
We work with mothers in the Adaklu District to advocate exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life, and continuing with other forms of feeding in the first year. After the first six months, we recommend appropriate weaning and complementary feeding with attention paid to the quality and quantity of a child’s diet. We recommend folic acid, micronutrients or iron-folate, calcium, and balanced energy protein to ensure that mums-to-be are healthy throughout their pregnancy and that new mothers are passing on nutrients to their children through breastmilk.
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No. AGO/D/01, American House
P. O. Box 44 Kpetoe, Volta Region, Ghana
Tel: +233244647951/+233200 662592
