Research into new malaria drug launched

Ejisu (Ash), Aug. 25, GNA - A research dubbed 'Home Management of Malaria in Rural Ghana' designed to ascertain viability of the new malaria drug, Aresunate-Amodiaquine and how best it could be introduced for control of malaria at the household level, has been initiated by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

It is being carried out by the Department of Community Health of the KNUST in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The research is expected to cover a period of one year and its findings will be made available to the Roll-Back Malaria Country Co-ordination Mechanism and the National Malaria Control Programme of the GHS.

Dr Nii Laryea Browne, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Community Health, announced this when he formally launched the programme at Ejisu in Ashanti on Wednesday.

Apart from ascertaining the efficacy of the new malaria drug, the research findings would provide evidence for policy management systems of malaria in the use of Aresunate-Amodiaquine.

Dr Browne stressed: "The main underlying factor for the research and what makes it important is that it will help determine the feasibility, acceptability, safety and more importantly, cost of using the drug for management of children in the rural areas".

He was not happy that in spite of the numerous government interventions for control of malaria through the roll-back-malaria programme and other programmes, progress at checking the disease was still low.

Dr Browne appealed to all stakeholders including donors to intensify their education and support for campaigns in order to reach out to all and sundry with interventions and help reduce preventable and avoidable deaths.

Dr Sarkodie Adu, Ejisu-Juaben District Director of Health Services, disclosed that for the past five years, the District had not recorded any guinea worm cases.

He attributed the feat to the numerous campaign programmes carried out on environmental cleanliness and the provision of potable water to a number of the communities.