First Lady advocates early IPTp use to prevent malaria deaths among mothers and babies

First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo is championing the early adoption of Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPTp) as a crucial measure to safeguard the lives of expectant mothers and their unborn children from malaria, in conjunction with the use of bed nets.

Addressing the audience at the Roll Back Malaria Partnership event held at Madison Square in New York on Tuesday, 19th September 2023, Mrs. Akufo-Addo urged international advocates and stakeholders in malaria prevention during pregnancy to intensify efforts in promoting IPTp to shield pregnant women and their babies from the detrimental impact of malaria throughout pregnancy.

She reiterated the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s Malaria Prevention Programme.

The foundation she said will persist in its efforts to educate, raise awareness, conduct medical outreach programs, distribute insecticide-treated nets, and construct additional primary health facilities, known as CHPS compounds.

The event focused on the theme, "Protecting Pregnant Women against Malaria: Accelerating Uptake of IPTp in Affected African Countries".

Globally, Mrs. Akufo-Addo highlighted that one in three pregnant women grapples with malaria in countries with moderate to high transmission rates in sub-Saharan Africa. This alarming statistic is attributed to approximately 10,000 maternal deaths and 100,000 newborn fatalities each year.