SEND Ghana, GAND to finalise draft on FOPWL Policy
SEND Ghana and the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (GAND) have reached the last stages of their advocacy for the development and implementation of the Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL) Policy to reduce excessive consumption of sugars, salt, and fat.
FOPWL are simple warning symbols or text to indicate when a product is 'High in' sugars, sodium, fat, or calories.
Speaking at a workshop on consumer expectations for the policy in Accra last Thursday, the President of the GAND, Reverend Rince Baidoo, explained that the workshop was the last public engagement towards the drafting of the policy, which would be sent to Parliament through the Ministry of Health.
He stressed that the advocacy had become necessary due to the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, kidney diseases, diabetes and cancers in the country resulting from diet and lifestyle choices.
The participants included the clergy, nutrition workers, community members and social advocates who contributed ideas to influence the development of the FOPWL policy.
Rev. Baidoo said the initiative, which has been ongoing for 12 months, was aimed at advocating for the government to implement front-of-package warning labels.
He pointed out that addressing the high consumption of sugar, salt, and fat could be an early intervention in preventing childhood obesity, as obesity in childhood could lead to health issues in adulthood.
The GAND President said their goal was to implement warning labels as early as possible to protect public health, encourage product reformulation to reduce nutrients of concern and reduce the burden on the healthcare system.
The initiative, he explained, received some backlash, particularly from manufacturers of sugar-only drinks who said such a campaign affected their profitability.
Public education
The General Secretary of the GAND, Joseph Bamfo Danquah, in a presentation, said the advocacy would force industries to put warning labels on products high in such nutrients, making consumers aware of what they were consuming.
“People are consuming products that are very high in sugar, fat and salt, and they are not even aware. By having this policy implemented, it would mean that industries would be forced to put warning labels on their products high in such nutrients,” he said, adding that the aim was to protect public health by creating a policy that would regulate both local and foreign products.
He said foreign products already in the country may not have such warning labels due to the lack of a policy, but implementation of a policy would require them to comply.
Mr Danquah advised the public to report to the hospital and then to the police when they unknowingly consume local beverages which had been infused with substances that make them high.
He indicated that the advocacy would push the government to regulate local production to standardise products and ensure they met the recommended nutrient thresholds.
He emphasised that positive partnerships between civil society, academia, and industry are crucial for the success of advocacy efforts.
