The economy of Ghana loses some GHC4.6 billion annually (equivalent of US$2.6 billion in 2012) due to the effects of child undernutrition, according to a study released in Accra. This amount represents 6.4 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The report titled The Cost of Hunger in Africa: The Social and Economic Impact of Child Undernutrition on Ghana’s Long-Term Development (COHA), estimates the amount of money lost each year as a result of child undernutrition, through increased costs in healthcare and education, and reduced productivity of the workforce. Stunting is caused by multifaceted factors resulting from the inadequate intake of essential nutrients and compounded by disease and poor care practices, particularly during the first 1,000 days of life. People affected by stunting suffer irreversible physical and cognitive damage.