By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Worawora (O/R), June 23, GNA – Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, Oti Regional Director of Health Services, has appealed to the feuding factions involved in the Nkwanta South conflict to lay down their arms and embrace peace, warning that the continued violence is claiming productive lives and hampering critical healthcare interventions in the municipality.
He said the conflict was adversely affecting the implementation of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign and other essential public health programmes aimed at protecting vulnerable populations, particularly children under five years.
Dr Amo-Kodieh made the appeal during the Oti Regional 2026 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention Stakeholders’ Engagement held at Worawora in the Biakoye District of the Oti Region.
He noted that malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among children in Ghana, making the successful implementation of the SMC campaign a public health priority.
“The conflict is not only resulting in the loss of productive human resources but is also making it difficult for health workers to reach communities with life-saving interventions,” he said.
Dr Amo-Kodieh called on all stakeholders to support efforts to restore peace and create an environment that would enable health personnel to carry out their duties without fear or obstruction.
He urged traditional authorities, media practitioners, officials of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Ghana Police Service, the National Ambulance Service, religious leaders, social welfare officers and other community influencers to intensify public education on the importance of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaign.
The Regional Director announced that the four-day exercise would begin on Wednesday, June 24, and end on Saturday, June 27, across all districts in the Oti Region.
He encouraged stakeholders to serve as ambassadors of the campaign by sharing accurate information with their families and communities to ensure high participation and help the region achieve its coverage targets.
“Share the information with at least seven people so that together we can achieve the desired results,” Dr Amo-Kodieh urged.
The Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaign is designed to provide preventive antimalarial medicines to children under five during the peak malaria transmission season, with the aim of reducing severe illness and deaths associated with the disease.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu