Bolgatanga, April 11, GNA - A food fortification programme was on Thursday launched in the Upper East Region with a call on Ghanaians to patronize fortified food to enhance their health status and live longer. Food fortification is the process of adding micro nutrients to food to ensure that, the needed nutrients are available in the foods that are consumed by a large segment of the population.

Mr Emmanuel Quaye, Project Manager of Food Fortification explained that, the food fortification programme when fully implemented would help control the high prevalence of micro-nutrients malnutrition in the region and the nation as a whole. He explained that micro nutrients are minerals and vitamins present in small amounts in foods, particularly fruits and vegetables and were very crucial for protecting and regulating the body functions for good health. He noted that, data available from prevalence survey conducted from the 1960s up to date showed the persistent occurrence of deficiencies and the consequences associated with inadequate intake of micro nutrients particularly iron and vitamin 'A' among women and children.

Mr Quaye said according to the 2003 demographic survey, there was a high level of anaemia among women, which resulted in 20 per cent maternal deaths. He mentioned wheat flour and edible vegetable oil as the selected foods to be fortified. According to him, wheat flour would be fortified with vitamin 'A', iron, vitamin 'B1, B2, B3, folic acid and zinc whilst edible vegetable oil would be fortified with vitamin 'A'. Mr Quaye said since 2007 fortification materials had been supplied for fortification by the executing agency, Food and Drugs Board. He said the Board has been provided with relevant laboratory equipment for quality control and monitoring and its Quality Control Officers trained in quality control and monitoring. Me Quaye also noted that a project office had been established at the Nutritional Department of the Ghana Health Service. A National Fortification Logo, he noted, had been designed to be placed on sacks and vegetable oil labels for identification. Mr Quaye said a legislative instrument would be put before Parliament to amend the existing food law to incorporate fortification of wheat flour and vegetable oil.

Mrs Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, noted that micro nutrients malnutrition was a major impediment to socio-economic development and contributed to a vicious cycle of under development to the detriment of the already underprivileged. "It has significant effect on health, learning ability and productivity and need to be worked at now before it gets out of hand", she said. The programme was being organized by the Ghana National Food Fortification Alliance (GNFFA) comprising major stakeholders in the food industry with Food and Drugs Board as an executing agency under sponsorship of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.