Women in Poultry Value Chain supports psychiatric hospitals

The apex body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVac) in collaboration with the Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS) has donated over 6,000 eggs to the Accra and Pantang Psychiatric hospitals.

The group also donated eggs to some selected media houses within the Greater Accra Region last Friday as part of the association’s activities to mark World Egg Day which falls on October 9, every year.

According to the WIPVac, the gesture was meant to create more awareness on the nutritional value of eggs as well as help boost the immune system of the patients, especially at this period of the advent of COVID-19 when good nutrition was required.

Importance of eggs

The National President of WIPVaC, Mrs. Victoria Norgbey, who presented the crates of eggs said it was important to include eggs in the meals of inmates at all times since it had essential nutrients such as choline which aided in brain improvement.

She urged corporate bodies and the government to add eggs to items they earmark for donation, especially during this period of COVID-19 to help build the immune system of the citizenry.

Mrs. Norgbey expressed gratitude to members of the WIPVac who provided the eggs for donation and appealed to the general public to support the farmers by buying eggs from them.

The Public Relations Manager at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Ms. Francisca Ntow, received the eggs on behalf of the hospital and commended the two organisations for the gesture, adding that the eggs would greatly supplement the protein intake of the inmates.

She disclosed that the hospital was not spared the hardship inflicted on society because of COVID-19, as most donors to the institution have been unable to fulfil their pledges.

“The hospital survives 80 per cent of the time on donations and the onset of the pandemic and implementation of lockdown rules prohibited our donors from coming to our aid. I call on all our stakeholders to rekindle their interest in the hospital,” she said.

At the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital, Ms. Beatrice Danso, a nurse who received the donation on behalf of the medical director said, “We are excited to receive this gesture from WIPVaC and its partners”.

She appealed to the general public to take a cue and also support the hospital.

Donation to media houses

Among the media houses who were presented with crates of eggs were the Daily Graphic, the Ghanaian Times and the MultiMedia Group.

In addition to the crates of eggs, the team from WIPVaC that went round also presented boiled eggs for sampling.

Egg day

World Egg Day is celebrated around the world and helps to raise awareness of the benefits to be derived from egg and its importance in human nutrition.

The Day was instituted at the International Egg Commission (IEC) conference in Vienna in 1996 conference when it was decided that the World Egg Day be celebrated on the second Friday in October each year.

For centuries, eggs have played a major role in feeding families around the globe. They are an unbeatable package when it comes to versatility and top-quality protein at a very affordable price.

They are also an excellent source of choline, essential in memory and brain development.