WOMEC, through its Nourish Ghana project, is implementing an 18-momth project which sought to strengthen advocacy efforts to influence nutrition-related policies to elevate the importance of nutrition in national discourse and development.

Dr Charity Binka, Executive Director of WOMEC, made the call at a stakeholder engagement on the theme "Uniting to End Malnutrition", which brought key institutions including the media, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and the Coalition of Actors for Public Health Advocacy (CAPHA).

She emphasised the importance of nutrition in national development and the need to be in the centre of development conversations given the fact that nutrition was critical in ensuring a healthy citizenry.

"What we eat, how we eat, and where we eat from has a direct impact on our wellbeing. Poor dietary habits and lack of awareness have contributed to rising cases of diseases, especially among the youth and pregnant women," she said.

Dr. Binka also highlighted the media's role in shaping public understanding of nutrition and as part of the project have a component to train media professionals to be able to advocate strongly for improved nutrition policies.

A GHS report shows that 18% of children under five years were stunted, six percent were wasted, whiles 12% were underweight, with the northern regions suffering the highest rates due to poverty and inadequate services.

According to the report, 41% of Ghanaian women aged 15 to 49 were anaemic, while obesity among women continues to rise, highlighting the gender and regional disparities in nutrition with cultural norms restricting women's access to nutritious food and health services.

Mr. Nii Odoi Odotei, a representative from NDPC noted that poor nutrition particularly in early childhood could severely affect a child's physical, psychological, and cognitive development.

That, he observed, had an impact on educational outcomes and, eventually, workforce productivity with serious economic implications. He disclosed that Ghana reportedly loses up to 6.4% of its Gross Domestic (GDP) equivalent to about $2.6 billion due to the long-term effects of malnutrition, adding, "the cost of treating malnourished children, including the provision of specialized food and healthcare, continues to strain the country's resources."

Mr Odotei, said the NDPC had been leading efforts to tackle the issue by collaborating with relevant stakeholders to strengthen nutrition policies and district-level planning and supported sectors and districts to plan adequately for nutrition and identify the right communities and individuals to target.

Professor Richmond Aryeetey, lecturer at the University of Ghana School of Public Health said malnutrition was silently draining the country's economy and emphasized the urgent need to prioritise nutrition in national development conversations.

He observed that 50% of Ghanaian women aged 20 to 49 were now overweight, a condition linked to rising disease rates and reduced learning ability in children and urged government investments in nutrition.