Ghana’s economic conversations often focus on fiscal policy, investment, and productivity. But there is a cost that rarely enters these conversations.

The crippling, compounding cost of malnutrition. According to the Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) study, a landmark analysis conducted jointly by the African Union, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, WFP, and UNICEF, malnutrition drains an estimated 6.4 per cent from Ghana’s GDP every year. That is not a nutrition statistic. That is a national economic crisis hiding in plain sight.

What malnutrition actually costs

Malnutrition costs Ghana in ways that are both direct and deeply structural. Stunted children underperform in school, earn less as adults, and are more likely to raise malnourished children of their own, perpetuating a cycle that spans generations. Anaemic women are less productive in the workplace. Malnourished mothers give birth to low-birth-weight babies who face higher rates of illness, hospitalisation, and death. Diet-related diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease are rising fast, placing a mounting burden on Ghana’s health system and workforce.

The cost of inaction on malnutrition globally is estimated at $41 trillion over the next decade, according to the World Bank’s Investment Framework for Nutrition 2024. a figure that far outweighs the $13 billion annually needed to scale up proven nutrition interventions. For Ghana, the 6.4 per cent of GDP figure represents billions of cedis lost each year through reduced productivity, increased healthcare costs, and compromised human capital.

A problem that pays to solve

The economic case for investing in nutrition is overwhelming. Every dollar invested in nutrition returns an estimated $16 to the local economy. Scaling up proven nutrition interventions such as breastfeeding support, micronutrient supplementation, school feeding, treatment of acute malnutrition, is not charity. It is one of the highest-return investments a government can make.

Ghana’s commitment at the 2025 N4G Paris Summit to spend $6 million annually on nutrition commodities is a start. But $6 million against a problem that costs the economy billions each year is a fraction of what is needed. Ghana’s finance and planning ministries must be brought into the nutrition conversation, not just the health ministry.

 A 6.4 per cent GDP loss would trigger emergency cabinet meetings if it came from any other sector. Malnutrition demands the same urgency. Ghana must stop treating nutrition as a health programme and start treating it as the economic and development priority it truly is.

Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project 

Coconut oil is the oil extracted from raw or dried coconut. At room temperature, pure coconut oil is sold in jars rather than bottles. When heated, it softens or melts, depending on the degree of warmth. 

Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, and contains around 90 per cent saturated fat. It’s almost 50 per cent lauric acid, and also contains about seven other types. The oil is used in beauty products for the skin and hair, as well as for cooking. It can also be used in biofuel. 

– Contains medium-chain fatty acids

Coconut oil is different from other dietary oils, because it is mainly composed of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), whereas most other oils are almost entirely long-chain fatty acids. This means that the fatty acids in coconut oil are made up of a chain of six to 12 carbon atoms, as opposed to the more than 12 found in long-chain fatty acids. This difference in structure has all sorts of implications, including how the oil is digested to how it influences your body.

-Has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties

About 50 per cent of the medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in coconut oil are a type called lauric acid, which contributes to the oil’s anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.

– Skin conditions

Limited but consistent evidence appears to support the topical use of coconut oil for the prevention and treatment of mild to moderate cases of chronic skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis. It has also been shown to alleviate some complex skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis.

-Protects hair from damage

The lauric acid in coconut oil appears to have a high affinity for hair protein and, because of the way the oil is structured, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft. This means coconut oil and products made from it may be useful in preventing the hair damage caused by protein loss due to grooming and ultraviolet (UV) exposure. However, more studies are needed to confirm this effect.

– Prevention of dental caries

Oil pulling is a traditional ayurvedic remedy originally practised in ancient India for the maintenance of oral health. More recent studies suggest the practice of using coconut oil may be beneficial for the prevention of dental caries by reducing plaque formation and gingivitis. However, limitations in sample sizes and duration means a larger number of well-designed randomised controlled trials are needed to determine the true value of coconut oil for this purpose. Healthline.com