ANNUAL NUTRITION REPORT FOR 2021-NEW JUABEN NORTH HEALTH DIRECTORATE
INTRODUCTION
The nation’s future lies partly on health power. This notwithstanding begins with the young generation who must be adequately taken care off. Thus their nutritional needs from conception to two years requires critical consideration
In Ghana however, most nutritional problems begin from weaning, where parents rely much on cereal gruel and other available foods, based on cultural practices and the understanding of individual on growth and development needs.
Foods are therefore selected to either satisfy hunger or because it’s enjoyed. Nonetheless eating food does more than just to satisfy hunger. Therefore, if one eats well he or she is healthy and have good appearance such as shiny hair, clear skin and eyes, firm flesh on a well-developed structure.
In this light the nutrition unit of the New Juaben North Municipal Health Directorate planned the under listed activities for the year 2021for improvement of health and nutrition status of the populace, some of which were carried out.
VISION
All people in the municipal to be knowledgeable about their nutrition needs and be able to provide it according to individual family member’s needs.
MISSION
To improve nutritional health status of all people in the municipality through advocacy. Provision and promotion of appropriat4e nutrition information to enable them make an informed decision on their nutritional needs
POPULATION
AGE GROUPS POPULATION
Under One(1) 3,728
0-59 Months (under five) 17,242
Expected pregnancy/expected delivery 3,728
Vitamin A (6-11months) 1,864
Vitamin A (12-59months) 14,912
Total population 93,201
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To improve nutritional status of all people especially children in the municipality through advocacy, community participation, provision of appropriate information for informed decision making towards good nutrition status and health.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To reduce to the barest minimum, the rate of underweight (malnutrition) and anemia amongst pregnant women and under five.
2. To make bread winners aware of the nutrition needs of all most especially children and provide it using locally available foodstuff to improve infant and young child nutrition.
3. To increase knowledge of families in breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding practices.
4. To increase awareness on incidence and cause of under and over nutrition and its consequences on the future.
5. To create awareness on sources, benefits of iron folic acid to the individual especially during adolescence.
KEY PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Growth monitoring and promotion
Micronutrient deficiency control (iron, vitamin A, Iodine)
Community management of acute malnutrition – CMAM (IPC and OPC)
Monitoring and support visit to service delivery points
Counsel mothers and other caregivers on nutrition needs of each individual in the family especially the under five
Food demonstrations
Celebration of two health events(Child Health Promotion week and world breastfeeding week)
Capacity building of health staff in nutrition activities
Link up with St Joseph’s hospital to undertake diabetic clinic
Nutrition surveillance/ active case search
Build capacity of caterers on school feeding program and good nutrition
Nutrition clinics for the aged (geriatric care) and pregnant women
Compile monthly, quarterly, midyear and annual reports
IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES
• Growth monitoring and promotion
• Micronutrient deficiency control (iron, vitamin A and Iodine)
• Community management of acute malnutrition (OPC and IPC)
• On-site capacity building of staff on maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN)
• Supportive visit to service delivery points
• Celebrated child health promotion week and breastfeeding week
GROWTH MONITORING AND PROMOTION
Healthy children gain adequate weight each month. Whilst under nourished or sick children do not gain weight at the required rate and may even loser weight. Weighing and plotting their weight on a growth chart guard’s health staff and families to give the appropriate intervention necessary.
Table 1. Indicates underweight trend at registration
YEAR 2019 2020 2021
No. seen No. Uwt % Uwt No. seen No. Uwt % Uwt No. seen No. Uwt % Uwt
0-11mths 7221 7 0.25 2411 0 0.00 2888 7 0.24
12-23mnths 1529 4 0.26 1241 1 0.08 1546 0 0.00
24-59mnths 1059 0 0.00 799 0 0.00 973 0 0.00
Total 5359 11 0.20 4451 1 0.02 5407 7 0.12
Following an on-site training for peripheral staff, service providers were equipped with requisite skills in case identification. Hence the increase in figure against number detected 2020
Table 2. Indicates underweight trend among under-fives according to attendance
YEAR 2019 2020 2021
No. seen No. Uwt % Uwt No. seen No. Uwt % Uwt No. seen No. Uwt % Uwt
0-11mnths 17,058 36 0.21 14.734 200 1.35 15.103 8 0.05
12-23mnths 11.375 129 1.13 9.182 98 1.06 8,941 7 0.07
24-59mnths 9.288 170 1.83 5,547 72 1.29 5,830 1 0.01
Total 37,721 335 0.88 29,463 373 1.26