Children under Five malaria cases decrease in Cape Coast Metropolis

The Cape Coast Metropolitan Health Directorate has increased its case management and distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets particularly among pregnant women to aid malaria prevention.

The move had steadily reduced the number of malaria cases recorded in children under five years and it is a stronger effort by the Directorate.

The Metropolis has recorded 2041 malaria under-five cases from July 2020 to December 2020, as compared to 3791 cases in July 2019 to December 2019, representing a total decline of 1750 cases in the District.

The decline of the cases was also a result of a scaled-up community-based treatment of malaria within the Metropolis through the home-based care of malaria, targeting children under five years, especially those living in outreach communities with limited access.

Mr James Adu Poku, the Metro Expanded Program on Immunization Coordinator disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Cape Coast, as part of the National Media malaria campaign under the African Media Malaria Research Network (AMMREN).

In addition, he said, there was an effective distribution and adherence to usage procedures on LLINs coupled with a well-planned and efficient malaria control management team with readily available drugs.

The Immunization Coordinator described malaria as an ailment of great public health concern and a challenge to human and socio-economic development with dire consequences on productivity and limited economic resources.

Therefore, he urged the public to cover all holes near their homes, to prevent mosquitoes from breeding when it rained, adding that it was the most prompt and effective treatment necessary for controlling and reducing malaria-related deaths.

Mr Poku admonished pregnant women and children to religiously sleep under the LLINs for maximum protection against the mother and the unborn baby.

Mrs Eva Ama Amoah, a Community Health Nurse, at the Metro Hospital underscored the challenges facing health workers adding that “ we have to beg some parents to vaccinate their children or else we visit their homes to bring them to vaccinate” though we put in tireless efforts to eradicate malaria.

She pleaded with parents to keep dates and scheduled times are given to them for their children’s vaccination as part of support to reduce malaria in the country.

Madam Agnes Adjei, a mother of two who got her second child vaccinated, in an interaction with the GNA, disclosed that the malaria vaccine was safe and healthy.

“None of my children have contracted malaria disease since I got them vaccinated. The firstborn has completed his and my second born just took her third dose.”

She appealed to the general public to get the malaria vaccine because it was very protective as an addition to the nets and other interventions.