Anglo Gold Ashanti to fight malaria in 40 districts

Wa, Oct. 7, GNA - Anglo Gold Ashanti Malaria Control Limited, with the collaboration

of the Ghana Health Service and support from the Global Fund, will spend $133 million to

scale up malaria control programmes in 40 municipalities and districts. The new programme, which would begin in January next year and last for five years,

would involve radio and door to door programmes, monthly spraying cycles, provision of

mosquito nets and environmental management. Mr. Amadu Salifu, IEC Coordinator of the Company, said the programme, apart from

its goal of reducing malaria infections by 75 per cent in the beneficiary communities,

would also give employment to about 8,000 people. Briefing the Wa Municipal Assembly on the programme at its second ordinary meeting

in Wa, he said Wa Municipal, Wa East District and Wa West District assemblies were

selected from the region as beneficiaries. The new malaria control strategy, he said, recorded success in the Obuasi area as the

lost man days due to malaria decreased from 6,983 in 2005 to 182 in 2010. The average monthly malaria medication cost at the Edwin Cade Hospital in Obuasi

went down from $55, 000 for 22,000 employees in 2005 to $12,000 for 4,000 employees

in 2010. He said the success chalked at Obuasi had necessitated the need to extend the strategy

to other parts of the country.