A one week training workshop on counselling on feeding of infants and young children opened on Monday at Takoradi.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is organizing the workshop with support from the United States Agency for international Development under its “Focus Regions Health Project”.
Some 30 midwives, community health nurses and nutrition officers from the Western Region are attending the workshop.
Speaking at the workshop, a Deputy Director of the GHS in-charge of Nutrition, Mrs Wilhelmina Okwebi, said the purpose of the workshop was to improve the knowledge and counselling skills of participants and to support mothers and caregivers to give appropriate complimentary foods to their infants and young children alongside the six months exclusive breastfeeding.
She said many mothers and caregivers had problems determining the appropriate complimentary foods to give their children after the six exclusive breastfeeding recommended by the GHS.
Mrs Okwebi said complimentary foods and breastfeeding are to be given to children up to two years and beyond.
She said foods that are added to breastfeeding should contain energy that would support the healthy growth of children and protect them.
She said mothers should feed their children on thick porridge instead of thin porridge which contains only starch.
Mrs Okwebi said children should eat frequently because they have small stomachs.
She said local foods and fruits given to children should be modified and free of pepper or hot spices.
Mrs Okwebi said foods should be served warm and should be protected from germs adding both mothers and children should wash their hands before eating.