Minister of Health Kweku Agyeman Manu has said measures are being put in place to strengthen the primary healthcare system through the expansion of the community -based health planning and services (CHIPS) program which continues to receive massive investments from both government and its partners.
He added that these are geared towards the building of a resilient community health system that meets the health care needs of women and children.
Representing the minister at the national stakeholders meeting which saw the launch of the Nurturing Care Framework held in Accra, the director for policy, monitoring and evaluation at the ministry of health Emmanuel Ankrah Odame stated that the sustainable development goals have embraced the nurturing care for early childhood development in order to catalyze the transformation that the world seeks to achieve by 2030.
He added that by 2030 all must ensure that both boys and girls have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so as to prepare them for primary education.
He added that this initiative should ultimately result in the design and roll out of high-quality nurturing care development program and services for all children in the country as this is aimed at ensuring children survive and thrive through nurturing and care and transform to contribute improved national productivity and growth.
Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare who also graced the occasion stated that every child has the right to survive and thrive and this fundamental right needs to be upheld. He added that the effects of early experiences on the brain and body explain significant disparities in health and learning especially for children living in poverty. Accordding to him, optimal nutrition during pregnancy and early infancy is essential for the well-being of both mother and baby.
He further noted that healthcare service provision plays a pivotal role in ensuring that nurturing of babies is optimal and therefore needs much consideration.
Nurturing care framework was initially launched globally at the 71st World Health Assembly on May 23,2018 by former President Michelle Bachelet of Chile with the theme: “Nurturing care framework for early childhood development”. The framework was to help children survive, and thrive to transform health and human potential.
By: Theresa Adezewa Ayittey
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