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The Iron Deficiency Awareness Campaign dubbed ‘Live Strong with Iron’ has taken Iron Deficiency education to local communities in Ghana through dramatization and expert nutrition advice starting with James town community.

The campaign aims to educate and empower, especially women and caregivers, by helping them understand the important role iron plays in spurring activeness, productivity, and healthier lifestyle among individuals and families.

The forum brought together residents of the James Town and neighboring communities, traditional leaders, school children, parents, teachers, opinion leaders, market women, the youth, civil society among others.

It also featured an educative drama skit by Nii Commey and engaging interactions with the campaign’s  ambassador, award winning actor, Adjetey Annan.

Speaking during the event, Professor Matilda Steiner Asiedu, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana informed the public that iron deficiency can easily be prevented by eating a proper diet containing sufficient amounts of iron.

“Iron deficiency anaemia is a problem of serious public health significance, given its impact on psychological and physical development among women and children. Despite it being the most prevalent nutritional problem in the world today, it can be addressed if we all embrace proper nutrition”. She encouraged the community to include iron rich foods in their daily food intake such as cocoyam leaves, eggs, liver, spinach among others.

A the latest Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DGHS) has itthat 66% of children under five are anaemic, while 42% of women in their reproductive (15 -49 years) and 45% of pregnant women respectively.

Championed by Nestlé Ghana Limited, the campaign aims to raise awareness on proper nutrition and educate the public on Iron Deficiency in Ghana, its causes, consequences and solutions.

Deborah Kwablah, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager at Nestlé Ghana used the opportunity to encourage Ghanaians, especially women and children to eat foods rich in iron to help curtail the deficiency.  According to her, Nestlé Ghana is happy to collaborate with stakeholders in the public and private sector to educate as many people as possible and grow the social movement to a national scale.

The campaign, which has roped in various stakeholders, will move to other regions of Ghana to drive conversations so that iron deficiency and solutions thereof takes center stage in 2020.

Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 – “Good Health and Wellbeing”, the Fight against Iron Deficiency campaign will be rolled out through media, stakeholder and consumer fora, community engagements, educational materials among other platforms to sensitize people on the need to have iron in their daily meals and its benefits.