The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) has donated 10,800 bags of specialised nutritious food worth GH¢300,000 to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to complement their efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 in the country.

The food was meant for supply to 4,000 patients at various isolation facilities in the country.  

The WFP Representative and Country Director in Ghana, Ms Rukia Yacoub making the presentation in Accra yesterday said, one of WFP’s prioritised interventions under the COVID-19 pandemic was the nutrition programme it supported the GHS to implement in the Northern and Ashanti regions.

“The intervention is helping to prevent stunting among children and micronutrient deficiencies such as anaemia among pregnant, nursing mothers and adolescent girls” she added.

The Country Director said WFP had also provided hand washing stations in all the participating health centers and retailers shops among others.

She  indicated the food were made of blended cereals and soy flour, mixed with mineral and vitamins, formulated to meet the body’s protein, energy and micro nutrient requirement for growth.

“We are pleased we can provide some support to government during these challenging times by donating this specialised nutritious food Maizoya which has excellent quality, highly nutritious made in Ghana product which the WFP has helped to developed and market”, she added.

Ms Yacoub commended the frontliners in the fight against the fight against the COVID-19 in the country and assured of their continuous support to help them achieve their goals.

The Director General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye in receiving the items said currently there were 500 patients at the isolation centers in Accra who needed to be fed, adding that the donation would go a long way to assist in boosting their immune system.

He said the GHS was wrapping up their tests to ensure there were more recoveries, adding that their focus was on the active cases.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye commended the WFP for the support and assured that they would be used for its intended purpose.

BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI