Providing measurement, evaluation, accountability, and leadership support for NCDs prevention in Ghana : adapting the INFORMAS approach

Abstract

This paper describes the rationale, adaptation and final protocol of a project developed to address the Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability, and Leadership Support for non-communicable diseases (NCD), the MEALS4NCDs project. MEALS4NCDs evaluates and supports public sector actions that create healthy food marketing, retail and provisioning environments for Ghanaian children, using adapted methods from International Network for Food and Obesity/NCDs Research Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS). The study establishes a standardised approach to providing implementation evidence for NCDs prevention in Ghana. Ghana is at an advanced stage of “nutrition transition” through rapid urbanization, with increasing overweight/obesity and diet-related NCDs.