Azumah urges parents to keep clean environment

Accra, July 19, GNA - Parents have been called upon to keep their environment clean to prevent their wards from contacting the malaria disease against a result of mosquito bites.

Professor 'Barima' Azumah Nelson, the boxing legend, made the call in Accra on Monday, when he joined more than 200 school children drawn from the Greater Accra Region to participate in sporting activities to commemorate his 46th birthday celebration.

The event, organised by "The Right to Play", a humanitarian organization devoted to giving every child the right to play, was also used to educate the children on malaria and its hazardous effects. Some of the games the participants engaged in were Three-legged Race, Doctor Tag, Malaria Area, Hands Washing, Car and Driver, Sow Beans and Reap Beans.

Azumah Nelson said it is the duty of parents to protect and prevent their wards from mosquito attacks since they are incapable of protecting and preventing themselves from such bites without the support of their parents.

He called on every citizen to ensure that stagnant waters are not left in their surroundings to breed mosquitoes.

Mrs Ama Baffoe, a representative of the Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme said with effect from January next year, all chloroquine drugs will officially give way to Artesunate Plus Amodiaquine, a combined drug for the treatment of malaria.

She advised parents to provide their wards with insecticide treated mosquito nets, which she said was the safest way of preventing mosquito bites.

Mrs Baffoe entreated all to join the fight so that 'we can roll back mosquitoes'.

Azumah Nelson was assisted by Alhaji Bimbo, Chairman of F.C. Mitdjland to cut his birthday cake.