By James Amoh Junior, GNA
Tema, Nov. 14, GNA – The Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) is set to collaborate with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Girl’s Iron-Folate Tablet Supplementation (GIFTS) programme to facilitate effective information dissemination at all levels.
The collaboration will be focused on rebuilding stronger ties with the Agency’s partners to assist in efficient communication and information delivery on the programme and to discuss other areas of mutual interest.
This came to light when the GIFT team including; Madam Ruth Situma, a Nutritionist Specialist of UNICEF Ghana, Mrs Faustina Vimariba Tour, Greater Accra Regional Nutrition Officer of the Ghana Health Service, and the Tema Metro Nutrition Officer, Mr Samuel Atuahene Antwi, paid a working visit to Mr Francis Ameyibor, the Tema Regional Manager of the Agency.
The visit was to, among other things; familiarize themselves with the work of the Agency and to firm up its already existing relationship as well as open a new door for fruitful collaboration with the new Manager.
The GIFTS programme is a collaborative initiative between the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ghana Education Service (GES) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with other partners to provide iron and folic acid supplements to adolescents in and out-of-school.
Mr Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager of the GNA, said such partnerships were strategically needed to further the Agency’s agenda of promoting development through the dissemination of truthful and unbiased news via appropriate mass communication platforms.
He noted that the GNA, albeit logistically challenged, remained a credible news source in the country’s media landscape, which gave it leverage over other media outlets.
He expressed the Agency’s readiness to help the GIFTS programme and initiatives to promote information sharing towards national development and said “quality information and specialized reports in the interest of national development is our hallmark.”
According to him, due to the Agency’s nationwide coverage with regional and district offices and reporters dotted across the country, such strengthened collaboration would be beneficial for the implementing partners for national development.
Mr Ameyibor said “as a news agency, the GNA is known for its principle of speed and accuracy in news dissemination and works for the interest of the nation and for its development.”
Madam Ruth Situma, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Ghana, who expressed delight at the partnership, commended the GNA for its role in national development and the Agency’s continuous collaborations in advancing the work of UNICEF and its partners.
She noted that in addressing the problem of anemia, it took a collaborative effort and shared responsibility by all stakeholders to nip the situation in the bud and ensure that adolescents especially girls receive folic acid supplements.
“To be able to move the agenda forward, it is imperative to get all the constituents working together in order to address the issue of anemia in the country and give some girls new lease of life for themselves and their unborn children.”
In the area of communication and media, she explained that such enhanced collaborations with GNA was non-negotiable in providing a platform for educating the general public on the importance of the GIFTS programme in addressing anemia among girls.
She noted that there had been significant reduction in anemia cases among girls who received the supplements at the initial four piloted areas of the programme by 26 per cent.
GNA
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