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Ga East MCE calls for more support to combat spread of malaria

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ga East Municipal Assembly (GEMA), Elizabeth Kaakie Mann, has called for increased support from stakeholders to enable government win the war against malaria.

Date Created : 5/30/2022 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Ghanadistricts.com

Madam Kaakie Mann, said this when she joined the celebration of the 2022 edition of the Malaria Awareness Campaign with a durbar at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) Basic School.

The event, organized annually by the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of GAEC, in commemoration of the Annual World Malaria Day, was to create awareness on malaria and its prevention in the Ga East Municipality.

The durbar dubbed, “ZERO MALARIA BEGINS WITH YOU AND ME", brought together various stakeholders including officials from the Assembly, GAEC, BNARI, Health, Education, teachers and pupils as well as a section of residents.

BNARI, since its establishment, has been championing efforts in fighting malaria including research into the cause and prevention of malaria and breeding of the vector, mosquito and how to curtail its development and spread.

The GAEC Malaria Awareness Campaign (MAC) is one of such efforts which was instituted in 2017 to create awareness and support the Global and National efforts in reducing the impact and burden Malaria has on human lives, especially in our parts of the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Its maiden edition was celebrated in 2017 at Dodi Island, in the Asuogyaman District of the Volta Region and four other regions within the country, namely; Okyereko, Gomoa East District of the Central Region, Osrongba, a suburb of Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, and Atatan, in the Adansi Asokwa District of the Ashanti Region, which was supported by the BNARI’s researches over the years.

The campaign, since its inception, has organized activities which include mini-durbars by stakeholders, educational talks, malaria treatment, screening and donations to the vulnerable which impacted over 2,000 pupils and other individuals in communities the GAEC Malaria Awareness Campaign team had visited.

Speaking at this year's event, the Municipal Chief Executive, Elizabeth Kaakie Mann, acknowledged GAEC-BNARI's restless efforts and hard work in ensuring we have Zero Malaria within our communities.

She observed that Ghana is one of the fifteen countries with the highest malaria burden in the world, but has made significant progress in its control and prevention between 2016 and 2019.

According to the MCE, though governments, past and present, have been doing a lot in this direction, malaria remains a leading cause of deaths in Ghana and there is the need for a greater concerted effort from all stakeholders to eradicate malaria or reduce drastically its infections.

“Malaria, we all know is a major health challenge in the country and our Municipality and for many years has threatened the lives of many individuals, causing more than one million deaths each year".

"It is no denying the fact that Government alone cannot fight malaria in the country. All stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organizations, Corporate Bodies, Traditional and Religious Leaders, must all get involved in this fight. I know most of them are engaged in various activities in support of this cause and I urge that we do more to ensure the eradication of malaria in the country", she appealed.

Dr. Michael Osae, the Director of BNARI, said the Institute began its research on the malaria campaign in 2006 and has been reinforced by the annual celebration of the MAC since its inception in 2017, with the exception of 2020 due to COVID-19.

According to Dr Osae, in a poll, 60% of people do not own a mosquito net, and only 30% of those who do, sleep under it.

To avoid the spread of malaria, Dr. Osae advised all to start sleeping under a treated mosquito net.

“From research, we realized it’s important for people to screen where they sleep that’s why we developed the mosquito net”, he explained.

He further stated that the Municipal distributes treated mosquito nets regularly to Schools and Hospitals as part of its efforts to combat the threat and implored that "everyone should make it a habit of testing for malaria regularly as a preventive measure".

He again advised that as a preventive strategy, everyone should have a conscious attitude towards mosquitoes and malaria to curb its spread.

“We need to change our attitude towards how we see mosquitoes and how we deal with malaria“, Dr Osae cautioned.

The Municipal Director of Health (MDH), Dr. Selorm Kutsoati, who was represented by Senior Nursing Officer, Augustina Adzikah, said her outfit was collaborating earnestly with all relevant stakeholders in the Municipality in the fight against malaria.

She stated that the Health Directorate embarks on rigorous, regular educational campaigns at schools, markets and other public places including churches and mosques to sensitize the people and screen them where necessary.

The MDH appealed to the people, particularly school children, to report on any symptoms of malaria in order to get early treatment and save their lives.

The durbar was interspersed with poetry recitals beautiful cultural dance performed by some pupils of GAEC Basic School on prevention of malaria.

The Presiding Member (PM) and Assembly Member for Haatso, Jesse Nii Noi Annum, the Assembly Member for Atomic Electoral Area, Cornelius Addo, and Municipal Finance Officer (MFO), Mrs. Ruby Bruce-Bortey, were among the entourage of the Hon. MCE at the programme with Mr. Emmanuel Kusi Addo, Deputy Director, Administration, GAEC, representing the Director-General.