Boston University (USA) and MedInscribe in collaboration with Nestlé Nutrition Institute (NNI) have held a convocation and symposium in Accra for 35 Health Care Professionals (HCP) who enrolled in the online Post Graduate Programme in Pediatric Nutrition (PGPN).

The PGPN which is an educational initiative by MedInscribe, offered in association with Boston University School of Medicine and supported by Nestlé Nutrition Institute, creates a unique opportunity for busy Health Care Professionals (HCPs) to upgrade their knowledge and practice skills in Pediatric Nutrition.

The programme is designed to help build the capacity of HCPs on the most current information, to integrate Pediatric Nutrition into clinical practice.

According to Mr Daniel Mensah, the National President of the Ghana Dietetic Association, “Providing Health Care Professionals with the requisite guidance on Nutrition Counselling and Education is of paramount importance”.

He added that “despite the benefits of nutritional counselling, many physicians lack the necessary education and training in medical nutrition therapy to counsel their patients and to ensure continuity of nutrition care among Health Care professionals”.

Mr Mensah recommended nutritional counselling such as early initiation of breastfeeding as an effective tool in developing food practices and behaviours to meet the nutritional requirements of children.

Speaking on the topic, “Establishing healthy food habits in children” at the Symposium, Professor Ebenezer Badoe, a Professor of paediatrics at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, stressed on the importance of developing healthy food habits and food preference in infants and children. 

He said that “the dietary patterns learned during the early years of life usually track into later childhood and adulthood which contributes to form the basis for future eating patterns in children”.

Dr Emmanuella  Amoako, a beneficiary of the PGPN is a Ghanaian Resident Pediatrician at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. According to her, “the course has provided means to learning more about paediatrics, which is helpful to the practice. The mode of delivery (online) was good and its flexibility gives us the opportunity to study alongside our busy schedules”.

Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, Manager for Nestlé Nutrition Institute Africa, Central and West Africa (Anglophone countries), noted that “the PGPN is a Global Scientific and engaging programme for HCPs. HCPs in the Central West Africa Region joined in 2016.

Since then, over 800 HCPs have been trained with very encouraging feedback on its relevance to their clinical practice. The graduation ceremony in Ghana is the 5th in 2017 in Central and West Africa after Lagos, Abuja, Yaounde and Doula. Nestlé’s support for this programme is directly linked to its purpose of “Enhancing Quality of Life and Contributing to a Healthier Future”. We congratulate all 2017 HCPs for their successful completion of the programme”.

The scientific programme comprises three levels. The symposium and convocation is the highpoint of all the activities after several engaging online scientific modules and quizzes.

The symposium and convocation event provided participants with the opportunity to interface with PGPN faculty, Local Key Opinion Leaders and other participants.

The faculty for the workshop and convocation consisted of Professors from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the University of Ghana.