Ghana loses about GhC4.6 billion (2.6 billion United States Dollars), approximately 6.4 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly through malnutrition, according to a new study.
This was revealed during the launch of a study christened; “Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA): The Social Economic Impact of Child Under nutrition on Ghana’s Long Term Development yesterday in Accra.
The report revealed that huge sums of monies were being lost through increased healthcare cost, additional burdens on education system and lower productivity by its workforce.
It indicated that the consequences of stunting (low height for age) were of particular concern.
Stunting occurs when children miss out on critical nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and mineral.
The research noted that people affected by stunting face lifelong consequences beginning from childhood such as frequent illness, poor school performance, having to repeat classes or dropping out altogether and low workplace productivity.
The COHA report further revealed that most of the health costs associated with under nutrition occur before a child turns one (1) year.
According to the report Ghana had made some progress in improving child nutrition over the past two decades, by reducing what it termed chronic malnutrition or stunting from 23 t0 19 percent.
However, the study called for more aggressive action to reduce the stunting menace to the barest minimum.
“Eliminating stunting in Ghana is a necessary step for sustained development,” the 78-page COHA study report noted.
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