Only 40 per cent use treated mosquito nets in Ho - A.B. Kafui Kanyi

Though 70 per cent of residents in the Ho Municipal Area have treated mosquito nets, only 40 per cent use them to prevent malaria, Mr Prosper Amegadzi, the Municipal Malaria Focal Person, said on Tuesday.

He said a survey conducted on the shortfall revealed that a good number of people in the Municipality kept the net and only used them for visitors to create “good impression”.

Mr Amegadzi said this at a review meeting to mark the closure of the implementation of  Advocacy for Resources for Malaria Stoppage (ARMS) in eight districts of the Volta Region by Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) and funded by UKAID.

He noted that in spite of regular sensitisation, the myths about the treated mosquito net usage remained high among the populace resulting in steady increase in malaria cases in the Municipality.

Mr Amegaszi said for instance tested malaria cases rose from 41, 609 in 2014 to 45,567 in 2015 and further to 66,776 in 2016.

He said the Municipal Area was, however, recording slight decline of malaria cases in pregnant women and deaths and called for concerted efforts to increase the use of treated nets.

Dr Kwesi Djokoto, the Ho Municipal Director of Health Services, said the Directorate was engaging stakeholders to sustain gains made by Hope for Future Generation and other non-governmental organisations in the fight against malaria.

Mrs Gladys Tetteh-Yeboah, the ARMS Programme Manager, said the programme reached 1.5 million health seekers across the country on malaria prevention, testing, treatment and tracking and also engaged over 10,000 healthcare service providers.

Ms Rita Lodonu said over 80,000 people were engaged in the Ho Municipal Area on malaria prevention and treatment and that malaria advocacy groups were formed in selected municipal and district assemblies under ARMS to raise resources for malaria reduction in the Volta Region.