By Michael Foli Jackidy, GNA
Ho (V/R), April 25, GNA – Homepack Medical Services and EXA Ventures, in collaboration with the Ho Municipal Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), have marked this year’s World Malaria Day with a free health screening exercise for traders at the Ho Central Market.
The outreach, held on Saturday April 25, aimed at screening market women and other traders for malaria and other common health conditions to facilitate early detection and treatment.
The exercise was held on the theme: “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.”
The screening covered malaria testing, blood pressure checks, blood sugar screening, body mass index (BMI) assessment, counselling, and health education.
Dr Semanu Adoboe, Chief Executive Officer of Homepack Medical Services, said the exercise formed part of the organisation’s commitment to reducing the burden of disease and supporting preventive healthcare delivery in Ghana.
He said the initiative was one of several community outreach interventions undertaken by the organisation in different parts of the country, including markets, schools, and orphanages.
“This is not the first time we are doing this. We move from community to community to support the healthcare system by identifying disease conditions early and educating the public on how to protect their health,” he said.
Dr Adoboe noted that although the exercise was organised to mark World Malaria Day, the team also screened participants for hypertension and diabetes due to the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country.
He said many Ghanaians were living with such conditions unknowingly and often reported to health facilities only when complications had advanced.
“That is why every opportunity we get to engage the public, we do not only test for malaria but also screen for blood pressure and blood sugar to promote early diagnosis and prevention,” he said.
Dr Adoboe said the outreach was also a way of giving back to the people of Ho, following support received through the Asogli State Entrepreneurship Programme.
He expressed optimism that the exercise would screen between 250 and 300 people by the close of day.
Mrs Doris Adoboe, Chief Executive Officer of EXA Ventures, said her organisation remained committed to malaria prevention through public education and the production of mosquito repellent products.
She said EXA Ventures had, since 2017, partnered with Homepack Medical Services and other small and medium enterprises to undertake regular malaria prevention campaigns across communities in Ghana.
Mrs Adoboe said the initiative had already yielded measurable results in some beneficiary communities, citing a five-year intervention at Porters Village in Dodowa, where only two malaria cases were recorded during the last World Mosquito Day screening.
“Our impact is clear. We screen, educate, provide mosquito repellent products, and monitor the communities over time to assess outcomes,” she said.
She called for stronger partnerships among public institutions, private organisations, and community members to support malaria elimination efforts, stressing that environmental sanitation remained central to mosquito control.
“Malaria prevention is a shared responsibility. Poor sanitation, stagnant water, indiscriminate waste disposal, and improper water storage all contribute to mosquito breeding,” she said.
Madam Perfect Titiati, Ho Municipal Director of Health Services, said the collaboration was timely and important, describing malaria as one of the leading causes of outpatient attendance in the Municipality and across the country.
She said World Malaria Day provided an opportunity to intensify awareness and strengthen advocacy for prevention and control.
“Malaria remains endemic in our part of the world and continues to be a major public health concern. Today, we are not only screening and treating but also educating the public on practical steps to prevent malaria at home and in the community,” she said.
Madam Titiati urged households to maintain clean surroundings, avoid stagnant water, sleep under insecticide-treated nets, install mosquito-proof netting in homes, and seek early treatment for fever.
She advised the public against self-medication and encouraged individuals to visit health facilities for proper testing and diagnosis.
“Testing is critical. When you test, treat, and track, we can reduce transmission and move steadily from malaria control to malaria elimination,” she said.
She said Ho Municipality was also benefiting from larvicidal interventions in collaboration with Zoomlion to destroy mosquito larvae at breeding sites.
Some beneficiaries who spoke to the Ghana News Agency expressed appreciation for the exercise, saying the outreach had offered them a rare opportunity to check their health status due to their demanding market schedules.
They commended the organisers for bringing healthcare services to their doorstep and called for more regular screenings in the market.
World Malaria Day is observed globally on April 25 each year to raise awareness and promote action towards malaria prevention and elimination.
According to the Ghana Health Service, malaria remains endemic in Ghana, with between 4.3 million and 6.6 million cases recorded between 2023 and 2024, although malaria-related deaths dropped significantly to 52 in 2025.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says advances in science and innovation, including malaria vaccines, improved mosquito nets, and better treatment options, have brought the goal of ending malaria within reach.
Globally, since 2000, malaria interventions have helped prevent 2.3 billion cases and saved 14 million lives, while 47 countries have been declared malaria-free.
Despite the gains, WHO estimates that 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths were still recorded worldwide in 2024, with funding gaps and resistance to drugs and insecticides remaining major threats to progress.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade