By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (V/R), June 11, GNA – Health authorities and public health advocates in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region have urged the public to practise good personal hygiene and consistently sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets as critical measures to prevent malaria.
They noted that malaria, a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, remains one of the most significant public health challenges in the country.
Madam Dora Kugbonu, a Public Health Nurse at Keta, said malaria continues to be a leading cause of illness and death in Africa, with children under five years and pregnant women bearing the greatest burden of the disease.
“Some of the primary factors driving malaria include bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, stagnant water bodies that serve as breeding grounds, poor sanitation and improper waste disposal, inadequate use of protective measures such as mosquito nets and repellents, and low levels of public awareness and health education,” she said.
She identified common symptoms of malaria as high fever accompanied by chills and shivering, severe headaches and body pains, nausea and vomiting, profuse sweating following fever episodes, and general fatigue and weakness that affect daily activities.
Madam Kugbonu outlined major complications of the disease, including severe anaemia resulting from the destruction of red blood cells, cerebral malaria that can cause seizures and neurological damage, organ failure affecting the kidneys and liver, low birth weight and premature delivery among pregnant women, and death, particularly among children under five years.
“To combat malaria, the public needs to sleep consistently under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, which remain one of the most effective and cost-efficient forms of protection against mosquito bites at night,” she said.
Other preventive measures she outlined include clearing stagnant water around homes and communities, applying approved indoor residual spraying, wearing long-sleeved clothing during evening hours when mosquitoes are most active, and seeking prompt medical attention and appropriate antimalarial treatment at the onset of symptoms.
She urged pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics regularly throughout pregnancy, noting that malaria infection can cause maternal anaemia, placental malaria, miscarriage, stillbirth, and low birth weight in newborns.
Madam Kugbonu stressed that regular antenatal visits enable healthcare providers to administer intermittent preventive treatment for malaria, conduct routine blood tests, and provide iron and folic acid supplements to safeguard the health of both mother and child.
The public has also been advised to visit health facilities promptly when ill rather than resorting to self-medication or purchasing unprescribed drugs from roadside vendors and informal markets.
She warned that such practices contribute to drug resistance, result in incorrect dosing, and delay proper diagnosis and treatment.
Health authorities reiterated their commitment to intensifying public education campaigns, distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets to vulnerable populations, and strengthening community health systems.
They also called on all residents to take personal responsibility for their health and adopt proven malaria prevention measures daily, especially during the current rainy season.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu