Nutrition
Global Lessons for Ghana: How countries successfully scaled nutrition interventions
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Countries that have made significant progress in reducing malnutrition tend to follow similar paths. Their experiences from Asia to Latin America and across Africa offer useful lessons for Ghana as it works to move nutrition interventions from small pilot programs to nationwide coverage.
One of the most consistent factors is strong political commitment at the highest levels of government. In countries that achieved progress, malnutrition was treated as a national development priority rather than only a health-sector issue. Political leaders publicly championed nutrition, established coordination mechanisms across ministries, and protected nutrition budgets even during periods of fiscal pressure. This high-level ownership translated into multi-sectoral action across agriculture, health, education, and social protection.
Another common feature is the transition from donor dependence to domestic financing. Successful countries deliberately built sustainable funding mechanisms for nutrition programs. Some established dedicated government budget lines to ensure spending could be tracked and protected. Some earmarked specific revenue streams for nutrition programs. Others integrated nutrition services into national health insurance systems or broader social protection programs. These transitions typically occurred gradually over several years, with clear milestones and accountability mechanisms.
Integration with existing health systems proved more effective than creating parallel structures. Countries that embedded nutrition services within primary healthcare platforms achieved better coverage and sustainability than those relying on standalone programs. Integrating nutrition protocols into routine health worker functions, incorporating nutrition indicators into standard reporting systems, and using existing supply chains for nutrition commodities reduced implementation costs while strengthening overall health system capacity.
Community-based approaches consistently outperformed facility-based models for treating acute malnutrition. Over 70 countries have adopted community management using RUTF, allowing most children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition to be treated at home and achieving recovery rates of 75 to 90 percent. This approach reduces costs compared to hospital treatment while reaching more children. The shift from inpatient to outpatient care represents one of the most significant advances in nutrition intervention delivery over the past two decades.
Strong data systems also play a vital role. Countries that made progress invested in integrating nutrition monitoring into national health information systems rather than relying solely on periodic survey mechanisms. Real-time data on service coverage, commodity availability, and outcomes enabled rapid problem-solving and course correction. Regular public reporting created accountability pressure that sustained implementation quality.
Another important lesson is focus. Countries that achieved results concentrated resources on a small set of proven interventions, scaling them nationally before expanding to additional initiatives. This disciplined approach prevented the fragmentation that often occurs when many small programs compete for limited resources.
Ghana today stands at a similar point to where many successful countries once stood. The policy frameworks exist. Proven interventions such as Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements are included in national guidelines. Health workers have received training, and pilot programs demonstrate that implementation is feasible.
Global experience shows that the next step is not waiting for perfect conditions. It requires deliberate decisions on sustainable financing, continued political leadership, and integration of these interventions into existing national systems. Countries that took these steps were able to move from pilot projects to nationwide impact.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
Salt, sugar and cooking oil are ordinary parts of many Ghanaian diets. None needs to be treated as an enemy. The concern arises when they are consumed in excessive amounts, often without us realising how much we are actually eating.
The key is not necessarily to eliminate them, but to understand how much we consume, how often we consume them and where they appear in our diets.
Salt contains sodium, an essential nutrient that the body needs. However, consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization recommends that adults consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day, equivalent to less than five grams of salt.
Much of the sodium in our diets may come not only from the salt shaker but also from processed and packaged foods, seasoning products, condiments and heavily salted meals.
One simple step is to taste food before automatically adding extra salt. Using herbs, spices, onions, garlic, ginger, peppers and other flavourful ingredients can help meals remain enjoyable without relying entirely on salt.
For people who regularly use packaged seasoning products, checking the label where one is available can also help identify products that contain higher amounts of sodium.
Sugar presents a different but related challenge. Sugary drinks, sweetened tea, confectionery and many processed foods can add substantial amounts of free sugar to the diet.
Drinks deserve particular attention because they can be consumed quickly and may contain considerable amounts of sugar without creating the same feeling of fullness as a meal.
Water is therefore one of the simplest alternatives. Unsweetened drinks can also help people reduce their intake of added sugar. WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10 per cent of total daily energy intake, with further benefits when intake is reduced to below five per cent.
This does not mean that every sweet food has to disappear from the household. It means paying attention to frequency, portion size and everyday habits.
The body needs dietary fat. Fats provide energy and help the body absorb certain vitamins. However, fats are energy-dense, meaning that relatively small amounts contain substantial amounts of energy.
Deep-fried foods can therefore contribute significantly to overall energy intake, particularly when eaten frequently. Fried foods do not automatically become “bad” foods, but frequency, portion size and cooking methods matter.
A useful strategy is moderation. A household does not necessarily need to stop using cooking oil; it can simply avoid using more than necessary and vary cooking methods where practical.
For families, small changes can add up. Using less salt when cooking, reducing added sugar in drinks, choosing water more often and limiting frequent deep-fried meals are practical steps that do not require an expensive diet.
Nutrition is rarely about one ingredient ruining a meal. It is about patterns.
A little salt, sugar or oil does not define whether a person’s diet is healthy. The bigger questions are how much is consumed, how often it is consumed and what the rest of the diet looks like.
Feature Article by Women, Media and Change
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Turmeric (Curcuma longa), the vibrant, golden-yellow spice derived from the rhizomes of a plant belonging to the ginger family, has been a cornerstone of traditional culinary and medicinal practices. The benefits of turmeric are as follows:
-Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant defenses
At the cellular level, tumeric acts as a potent shield against two fundamental drivers of chronic disease: chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Low-grade, systemic inflammation is linked to many major health conditions. Tumeric mitigates this by blocking major inflammatory molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, helping to arrest the inflammatory cascade at its source.
– Supports joints, heart, and brain
The systemic relief offered by turmeric is perhaps most visibly felt in joint health. For individuals suffering from osteoarthritis, tumeric drastically reduces joint discomfort and stiffness by dampening inflammatory markers within joint tissues.
-Metabolic and visceral regulation:
Turmeric acts as an effective metabolic regulator, particularly in blood sugar management. Research shows that tumeric enhances insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose levels by curbing hepatic glucose synthesis and activating cellular.
-Digestion: Turmeric directly aids digestion and visceral detoxification. It stimulates the gallbladder to produce and secrete bile, an essential fluid required to properly emulsify and break down dietary fats.
-Liver detoxification: The liver benefits directly from eating turmeric. Turmeric protects vulnerable liver cells from chemical and environmental damage while upregulating the cellular enzymes responsible for clearing metabolic waste and toxins from the human body. -Health.com
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