Ghana Nutrition Officials Visit URR

Thursday, February 23, 2012
A high-powered delegation from the Ghana Nutrition Unit yesterday, Wednesday visited the Regional Health Team Centre for Nutrition Recovery and Education (CREN) in the Upper River Region.

The delegation, led by the executive director of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), Pa Modou Phall, also visited communities such as Tambasansang and Sanunding, before meeting the regional governor, Omar Khan.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Observer, Pa Modou Phall, executive director of NaNA said the visit was in the spirit of the South-South peer review, which he said came as a result of the recommendation by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and the World Bank (WB) for countries to visit and review each other’s activities and policies.

This, he explained will enable them to learn their structures, management, as well as how they mobilise resources in implementing their nutrition projects, and there after come up with recommendations.

Asked about his impression on what they had seen, Phall said he was impressed by the level of team work in the region, which he stressed is what is required from all departments. He observed that the region is doing well in the nutrition related programmes being implemented.

Commenting on their closed-door discussion with the regional governor, Phall said the governor was positive, noting that they had briefed him on the nutrition programmes that are currently implemented in the region.

He indicated that the governor in response expressed delight at the good work they are doing, describing him as the chairman of Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on nutrition in the region.

The NaNA boss asserted that the delegation will write a report on their trip and will also meet the National Nutrition Council, headed by the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy.

While acknowledging that the country’s nutrition agency is doing well, Phall was unequivocal in indicating that there are still rooms for improvement. He concluded by informing that the NaNA officials will also travel to Senegal later this year for peer review, while Senegal will travel to Ghana  before all the West African states will meet in a summit to present their reports for recommendations.

Author: Alieu Ceesay in Basse, URR/Observer