By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, April 25, GNA – The National Malaria Elimination programme (NMEP) has encouraged stakeholders to increase efforts at attaining malaria elimination in the country.
Dr Joel Idun-Acquah, the Head of Unit and Focal Person for Procurement and Supply Chain Management for the Programme, said data showed downward trends in malaria prevalence and fatalities, which must be sustained to achieve the elimination target.
He encouraged all stakeholders to hasten steps toward malaria elimination through a paradigm shift, to fast track the successes chalked.
Dr Idun-Acquah gave the encouragement through a webinar organised by the Paediatric Society of Ghana (PSG) as part of activities to mark the 2024 World Malaria Day celebration.
He said the strategies for elimination targeted epidemiological, and operational zones, reporting that 21 districts in very low operational zone were being targeted for elimination, as mapped out in the 2024-2028 Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan.
The strategic plan wanted to eliminate malaria mortality by 90 per cent, reduce case incidence by 50 per cent, and eliminate it in the 21 districts, most of which were in the Greater Accra Region, he said.
Dr Idun-Acquah said strategic objectives of the elimination programme included 100 per cent of the population having adequate knowledge, attitudes, practices, and requisite skills for malaria elimination, and ensure the populace used at least one preventive measure.
He said the nation should also be able to test all suspected cases, and ensure all confirmed cases were appropriately, effectively, and completely treated, by 2028.
Dr Idun-Acquah said both active and passive surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation systems would be strengthened, adding that pharmacies and medicine sellers would be assisted to test and report on malaria.
He said the timely and adequate supply of quality-assured malaria commodities to all service points would be ensured, while governance and programme management would be strengthened at all levels.
New among the list of interventions for elimination were the Post-Discharge Malaria Chemoprevention, the Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in School Children, and Mass Drub Administration programs.
Dr Idun-Acquah therefore said all stakeholders including political leadership, traditional, and local government leaders, community members, the media and the private sector needed to show enhanced commitment to the elimination drive.
The webinar was sponsored by pharmaceutical giant Novartis and was held on the theme: “Health Equity – The Cornerstone for Achieving Malaria Elimination in Ghana.”
About 500 participants from various stakeholder groups within the health sector joined the meeting while hundreds more watched the stream online.
Dr Hilda Mantebea-Boye, the President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, said the World Malaria Day celebration would help identify gaps and renew stakeholder commitment to the fight, saying, the theme, underscored the role of equitable healthcare in children’s wellbeing.
The occasion should help move a step closer to fighting malaria more in Ghana, and “We would see how we could work together and continue to improve the data and statistics on malaria,” she said.
Speakers included Professor Benjamin Abuaku, an Associate Professor of Epidemiology who presented on therapeutical efficacies of antimalarials, and Dr Rosemond Kokuro, a Paediatrician and Medical Director of the St. Theresa Hospital, who gave a detailed presentation on the present malaria care regime of testing, treating, and tracking.
Dr Baafi-Boateng, a medical advisor with Novartis shared challenges with diagnosing and treating malaria in young infants, and said Novartis was working with the Paediatric Society of Ghana in proving solutions including varied treatment options.
GNA