Health Promotion

Nutrition

Many organizations donate to Ghana to improve nutrition status; also, the government has sponsored feeding programs. The issue is overwhelming, but another way to combat malnourishment is to educate Ghanaians. A study conducted in a rural area of Ghana found that many mothers lacked nutritional knowledge, including poor breastfeeding practices and poor food choice of rice porridge, which lacks essential vitamins and minerals. The study considered 153 children ages 6-24 months; the mothers received three-months of nutritional education, and improvements were noted; over 50% of the children retained normal birth weight post-intervention (Awuuh et al., 2018). A vital health promotion factor is to provide educate so one is better prepared to make healthy choices.

Environment

"Environmental risk factors contribute to 22% of global deaths and 23% of the global burden of disease" (Skolnik, 2020). Environmental justice is apart of The Sustainable Developmental Goals developed by the United Nations in 2015 (Monteiro et al., 2019). Environmental justice includes taking actions to achieve cleaner water, air, and soil worldwide. The mining practices in Ghana are destructive to the environment and people's well-being. Protective measures for people affected by the mining pollution would include strict hygiene practice, avoiding ingestion of contaminated water, and avoiding food from agricultural land nearby mining sites. As suggested by Monteiro et al., 2019, safer mining procedures include proper waste management, increase monitoring, and strict regulation adherence. Mining seems highly unregulated by the Ghana government, likely due to financial gains. Still, the government must shift its focus to safer mining practices for the health of its citizens and environment.