Western Region excels in Malaria Control

Western Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Naa Dr. Jacob Mahama, says the performance in the control of malaria, has seen consistent improvement in the coverage of the various interventions being implemented.

He attributed the success to the support from the Global Fund, the efforts of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and the adherence to treatment protocols, constant monitoring, and supervision of the peripheral staff and health facilities as well as regular feedback.

Naa Dr Mahama addressing the media in the Region on the theme," Continuing Quantity Health Service Delivery Amid COVID--19 Pandemic Challenges", said that periodic training of the prescribers in malaria case management coupled with the availability of test kits, Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs) had in no small measure contributed to the success story.

He noted that institutional malaria for under 5 case fatality rate had seen a consistent drop from 0.24% in 2018 mid-year through 0.13% in 2019 mid-year to 0.09% in June 2020.

For interventions that targeted pregnant women, he explained that the Intermittent Preventive Therapy for pregnant women (IPTp3) coverage had climbed from 51.9% in 2018 mid-year through 54.7% in 2019 mid-year to 55.5% in 2020 mid-year

Naa Dr Mahama lamented that Tuberculosis control in the region remained a challenge especially, in the case notification rate, which had reversed towards increased case notification in the recent several years.

However, because of the difficulties imposed by COVID-19, the rate had seen a significant drop from 34 to 31/100,000 population in 2019 and 2020 mid-years respectively, translating into a drop of 62 cases.

He added that the death rate was dropping because of the provision of treatment supporters for all cases, monthly clinical reviews, monitoring of treatment adherence, and early enrolment of TB/HIV patients on ARV therapy.