Doctor says usage of treated nets still low

Takoradi, Aug. 8, GNA – A doctor has said although the rate of possession of insecticide treated nets had increased its usage was rather low.

Dr. Atsu Dodor, Deputy Director for Clinical Care of the Western Regional Ghana Health Service, said despite strategies adopted in distribution to beneficiaries such as pregnant women and children under five it had not yielded much results.

“In 2008, the possession rate among children under five stood at 28 per cent, despite the increase in net possession, utilization has been low”, Dr Dodor said.

Dr. Dodor told the Ghana News Agency that the “HANG UP” campaign embarked on by the GHS was therefore to increase coverage as well as usage of the long lasting insecticide nets in the Region.

The HANG UP method would ensure that volunteers from a particular community enter the bedrooms of families and individuals to erect the nets themselves.

Dr. Dodor said the exercise was supported by the National Malaria Control Programme, UNICEF, DFID, BCS project and Focus Health project.

He said the treated insecticide nets gave greater protection against malaria than untreated nets adding, “The mosquitoes pick up the doses of poison which eventually kill them”.

Dr. Dodor explained that the proper use of the nets could decrease mortality rate among children under five by 25 percent particularly in Africa.