Malaria prevalence rate among children under 5 declines in Northern Region 

Malaria prevalence rate among children under five in the Northern Region declined from 48.3 percent in 2014 to 24.3 percent in 2016. 

Over the same period, hospital admissions due to malaria declined from 51.8 percent in 2015 to 32.8 percent in 2017. 

This was contained in a speech delivered on behalf of the Northern Regional Director of Health, Dr. Samuel Kwashie during the launch of indoor residual spraying campaign in Kumbungu in the Northern Region. 

The indoor residual spraying campaign is under the US President’s Malaria Initiative, implemented by the USAID. 

The project is part of efforts to curb the spread of malaria, which remains the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in the Northern Region. 

According to the Regional Director of Health, Dr. Kwashie, “in spite of these gains, malaria continues to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the region.” 

He added that, “over 50 percent of all malaria deaths in the country are from the Northern Region.” 

He said indoor residual spraying has proven to be an effective intervention in controlling malaria. 

He appealed to pregnant women and children in particular to continue to sleep under insecticide treated mosquito nets. 

The Chief of Party of PMI Vector Link, Lena Kolyada emphasized that, spraying rooms with chemicals alone is not enough. 

She said communities must take responsibility to reduce malaria by adopting other preventive measures including sleeping under insecticide nets. “Quality of operation and effective chemicals are not enough. 

Community awareness and participation are extremely critical if the IRS campaign is to be successful and people to be protected from malaria,” she noted. 

The District Chief Executive for Kumbungu Abdul Salam Hamza Fataw, commended the government of the United States for the support. 

He expressed hope that, with sustained efforts and commitment from stakeholders, Ghana will win the war against malaria.

Story filed by GBC's Murtala Issah/nyofam@gmail.com

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