Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfProc7): Abstract 111 | Published: 13 Oct 2026
Alice Adams1,&, Belinda Nsiah Opoku1, Paul Dsane-Aidoo2, Sandra Adams Sallar3, Joseph Frimpong1, Ernest Kenu1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana, 2United Nations Children’s Fund, Accra, Ghana, 3Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Florida, USA
&Corresponding author: Alice Sallar Adams, Ghana FELTP, UGSPH, Email: alicesaladams@gmail.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 13 Oct 2026
Domain: Public Health Nutrition
This is part of the Proceedings of the 8th Ghana FELTP Scientific Conference and FELTP Competency Graduation, Accra, Ghana, 10 – 11 December, 2025
Keywords: Under-five malnutrition, surveillance data analysis, CMAM treatment outcomes
©Alice Adams et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Alice Adams et al. Spatial and temporal trends of under-five malnutrition in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana, 2019 – 2023. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):111. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-00111
Malnutrition is a leading cause of death in children under 5 globally. In Ghana, childhood malnutrition rates are high, and cases are managed through the community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programme. Although malnutrition data are routinely collected through child welfare clinics (CWCs), it is rarely analysed and disseminated. We analysed the under-five malnutrition surveillance data in the Greater Accra Region to describe case distributions by person and place, identify the trend, determine the linkage-to-care rate, and describe treatment outcomes.
We conducted a secondary data analysis using under-five malnutrition surveillance data in the Greater Accra Region, from 2019 – 2023. We extracted data from the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS 2). Variables included age, district, enrolment into CMAM and treatment outcome. These were summarized as frequencies, proportions and rates, and presented in tables and graphs. We calculated linkage-to-care, recovery, death and defaulter rates.
From 2019 – 2023, the region recorded 41,802 new cases of malnutrition. Children aged 0-23 months recorded the highest proportion (90%, 37,614/41,802). The highest incidence of underweight and stunting were recorded in Weija-Gbawe (22/1,000 population) and Accra Metropolis (17/1,000 population) respectively. Incidence of underweight decreased from 7 to 2/1,000 population. Stunting incidence decreased, except from 2020 – 2021 (3 to 5/1,000 population). The linkage-to-care rate was 21.9% (3,916/17,845), recovery rate 60% (1,996/3,916), death rate 3.8% (147/1,920) and defaulter rate 32.8% (1,046/3189).
Under-five malnutrition rates in the region decreased over the period. High rates were recorded in children under 2 years old. The highest incidence of underweight and stunting was recorded in Weija-Gbawe and Accra Metropolis, respectively. The linkage-to-care rate was low, the recovery rate was below the international standard of 75% and the defaulter rate was above the acceptable limit of 15%. We recommend assigning case managers for identified cases to help improve linkage to care and treatment outcomes in the region.
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