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Sagnarigu, Ghana – The Northern Regional Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Felicia Konaah Tettey, has implored caterers engaged under the programme to follow lay down hygienic practices and nutritional requirements when preparing their meals.
According to her, meals prepared for school children must contain nutrients from the four major food groups, namely staples, legumes, animal protein and fruits and vegetables.
Speaking at a meeting of caterers in the Sagnarigu District last week, Madam Felicia insisted that the caterers must try and meet the basics for handling food safely in order not to cause any form of contamination because the meals they prepared were meant for public consumption and therefore must be wholesome.
“You can’t see, smell or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness and it is important to follow the four steps of food safety campaign which are clean washed hands and surfaces, avoiding cross contamination by separation, cooking food to the right temperature and prompt refrigeration or chilling of food”, she noted.
The Northern Region is one of the regions recording negative statistics in the area of child malnutrition. According to the Ghana Health Service, the region is faced with multiple deprivations which impacts negatively on nutritional outcomes.
It has 20.0 percent of children less than 5 years underweight, 33.1 percent stunted and 6.3 percent wasted. The region is also faced with high rates of micronutrient deficiencies such as anaemia, iodine deficiency and Vitamin A deficiency.
The region is most adversely affected by stunting, with the highest prevalence of 33.1 percent and absolute numbers of stunted children. The region is next to the Central Region when it comes to high prevalence and large numbers of wasted children as the former is recording 7.7 percent whereas the latter is 6.3 percent.
Thus, elimination of malnutrition in Ghana is a necessary step for sustained development. This is because the country is losing 4.6 billion cedis representing 6.4 percent of GDP a year to the effect of child malnutrition.
Also, stunting growth is associated with a substantial reduction in mental capacity and poor school performance as 10.5 percent of all repetitions in Ghanaian schools are associated with stunting.
The purpose of the meeting was therefore to discuss issues bordering on the school feeding programme at various schools in the district and define the way forward. The meeting discussed issues such as personal hygiene and food safety, handy measures and safety in the kitchen, handling of cooked food, the four star diet and records-keeping among others.
Madam Felicia encouraged the caterers to feel free to approach her and any officer at the regional secretariat with their concerns and any other suggestions they thought could bring success to the programme in the region.
Some of the caterers thanked the Northern Regional Coordinator for meeting with them and sensitizing them on certain things regarding their work, personal safety and the safety of other people especially children under their care.
They promised to start meeting themselves as caterers so that if there were any challenges related to their work they would report to the programme’s secretariat for redress.
