WHO initiates malaria control project

Bolgatanga (Upper East) 20 April 

The World Health Organisation has initiated a programme, "Roll Pack Malaria," to reduce the incidence of the disease and child mortality.

The project would help co-ordinate global action in the fight against malaria, assist governments to meet targets and to help endemic countries to strengthen their health sector.

This would be done through the popularisation of insecticide treated bed-nets, a package of essential interventions for the care of infants and the simple packaging of anti-malaria drugs to ensure that people take the proper course of treatment.

The project would also ensure that anti-malaria drugs, produced locally, meet good manufacturing standards and are affordable. A WHO report said ''despite previous efforts at curbing the disease, malaria is still a problem'' adding that in some places, the disease is getting worse.

It noted however that some private and public companies are providing millions of dollars to support various projects on the disease.

The report said such funding could lead to new drugs being developed to combat the disease.