Northern region still leads in reported malaria cases in the country, despite efforts by government and its partner organizations to bring the disease under control. The disease is also the leading cause of deaths among children in the region and the entire nation at large.
These were revealed by the acting Regional Malaria Control Focal person, Mr. Marcel Buamah during a stakeholder consultation meeting on a Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) mass distribution campaign in the northern region.
According to Mr. Buamah, malaria, if given attention by both government and the people, can be prevented. He called on the people to help the efforts being made to end the disease in the country and appealed to them to always sleep under the treated insecticide mosquito nets to prevent them from the disease.
Malaria related deaths in the Northern Region have dropped to 71 per cent between 2015 and 2017 as residents embraced the LLINs campaign. The LLINs campaign is aimed at tackling malaria by killing the mosquitoes that transmit the malaria parasites through the distribution of treated mosquito nets to registered people in the country.
The distribution, which started on June 19 is expected to end on the 25th . The nets will be distributed to registered residents, especially children under five and pregnant women in nine communities in the northern region.
At the meeting, stakeholders deliberated on putting in measures to make sure people who collect the nets use them for their intended purpose. Mr Buamah stated that the distribution exercise is to sustain the break in transmission of malaria-causing parasites from the female mosquitoes to humans. He urged pregnant women and children to continue to sleep under the Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets for maximum protection.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), security personnel, and health personnel, among others.
BY: LILIAN D. WALTER
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