The Nutrition Department is a department under the Family Health Division of the Ghana Health Service. It is headed by a Deputy Director. The vision of the department is to have a well-nourished population adequately informed to take the right decisions concerning their nutrition and the nutrition of their dependents/children.
The Nutrition Department seeks to contribute to the improvement in the nutrition and health of all persons especially, the vulnerable groups by:
(i) Providing high quality nutrition services and
(ii) optimal nutrition promotion through well-informed, highly skilled and motivated staff.
The structure of the Nutrition Department is designed to address all nutrition related public health issues, focusing on both macro and micro nutrients malnutrition in the general Ghanaian population as well as the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children and moderate or severe malnutrition in People Living with HIV and Tuberculosis.
At the Regional level, the Department works closely with the Public Health Units headed by the Deputy Director of Public Health through the regional nutrition officers and regional public health nurses. And at the district level with the District Nutrition officers and Public Health Nurses.
At the national level, the department also works closely with the other departments and divisions within the Ghana Health services in the area of policy review and development, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building and research amongst others. The Department also collaborates with other Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Development and Implementing partners, Non-governmental Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and the Private sector working in the nutrition arena.
The Department has five main programmes areas which are coordinated by programme managers/coordinators and officers.
- Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) – Areas covered under this programme include: Breastfeeding, Complementary feeding, Growth Monitoring and Promotion
- Diet & Healthy Lifestyle including Maternal, Aged and School Nutrition
- Micronutrient Deficiency Control – Areas covered under this programme include: Vitamin A Deficiency, Iodine Deficiency Disorders, Iron Deficiency Anaemia
- Nutrition Rehabilitation – Areas covered under this programme include: Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), Nutrition Assessment Counselling and Support (NACS), Nutrition Support for Vulnerable Groups
- Nutrition Surveillance, Operational Research and Monitoring &Evaluation