Andrew Jones is leading a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded study of the high levels of anemia among girls and women in Ghana. Jones says: “Our goal with this project is to simultaneously address several of the causes including improving diets to include more iron-rich fish, promoting behavior change to prevent infection and illness, increase the incomes of women who are involved in fish processing—as the additional income could lead to multiple health benefits—and, reduce exposure to harmful biomass fuel smoke, which can contribute to anemia as well as respiratory illness.” Women in Ghana and throughout West Africa are integral to the fishing industry with roles in processing, selling and storing fish. And while some of the protein-rich fish makes its way into homes, it is not enough to improve diets.

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