Ashanti records 179 malaria deaths

Kumasi, May 12, GNA - A total of 179 people died of the malaria disease in the Ashanti Region, last year, Dr Aaron Offei, the Regional Director of Health Services, has said.

This showed a significant rise in the number of deaths, compared with the 2009 figure of 169.

He said available records also indicated that hospital admissions caused by the disease went up from 33,694 to 34, 560 during the period and attributed this to the inability of the people to take preventable measures.

Dr Offei was speaking at the launch of the Affordable Medicine Facility for Malaria (AMFM) Campaign in Kumasi.

The programme is aimed at sensitizing the public to use only the recommended drugs for the treatment of malaria.

Ghana is one of the eight countries in Africa selected to pilot the AMFM initiative.

Malaria continues to be the leading cause of morbidity in Ghana, accounting for over 30 per cent of all Out-Patient- Department (OPD) attendance in health facilities.

The Regional Health Director said early recognition of the disease and its prompt treatment, using effective anti-malaria drugs could help to roll back the disease.

He said the AMFM would go a long way to aid the country to achieve the goal of reducing malaria deaths by 2015.

Mr James Frimpong, National Malaria Control Officer in-charge of the Middle Belt of Ghana, said artesunate amodiaquine and arthemether lumefantrine, were the two anti-malaria drugs recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr Joseph Oduro, Deputy Regional Director, Public Health, appealed to the media to educate the public on the need to rely on only the recommended drugs to treat malaria.