Hohoe Municipality takes measures to control malaria

Hohoe, Nov. 26, GNA - The Hohoe Municipal Assembly has launched the Hohoe Municipal Malaria Advocacy Proramme (HMMAP) worth GHc 52,555 towards addressing the challenges and control of malaria in the municipality. It entails programming for malaria control, increase resources and mobilise support in the implementation of policies, strategies and programmes aimed at a malaria-free municipality.

Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area and Chairman of the HMMAP Committee, said the action plan would motivate stakeholders and related sectors to be involved in malaria control activities. He enumerated benchmarks as integrating malaria control measures into the development paradigm of the municipality, support orientation and involvement of religious and traditional leadership in activities as well as to promote the formation and award schemes for malaria-free clubs in all schools and selected communities.

Togbega Gabusu said there would be support for strengthening the capacity of health professionals in malaria diagnosis and treatment and promote establishment of referral system for treatment of severe malaria. He said labour unions would be mobilized and managed to formulate malaria control policies for their workplaces as well as the creation of special malaria funds. Dr Michael Ahedor, Hohoe Municipal Director of Health Services, said a survey showed that malaria related illnesses remained the highest public health concern with children under five and pregnant women at greatest risk. He said 6,327 children below age five reported with the disease between January-June 2008 with 4,214 and 7,110 reporting in 2007 and 2006 respectively.

Dr Ahedor said 19 children below age five and 67 children above age five died from malaria between January-June 2008 with 541 pregnant women reporting for treatment within the same period. Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey, Country Director, John Hopkins University, Voices for Malaria Free Future Project, said about three million cases of the disease was reported annually with over 900,000 cases being registered in children under five years.

He said the disease accounted for an average of 19 percent of all recorded deaths in the country and 33.6 percent of under five mortality. Mr Fiagbey said the burden of malaria through the cost-of-illness-approach was estimated at 2.63 dollars per capita or 13.51 dollars per household and about 70 percent of households spent GHc 1.750 per month on anti malaria products.

Mr Victor-Hermann Condobrey, the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, pledged the assembly's support both material and human towards the malaria-free programme.

He promised to boost the programme by making available part of its internally generated fund in addition to its 0.5 percent mandatory allocation of the Common Fund for the eradication of malaria. Mr Condobrey made an initial donation of GHc 500 and 100 bed nets to kick-start the programme.

Ms Edith Akpoto, Presiding Member of Hohoe Municipal Assembly, said members had agreed to cede one percent of their allowances towards the control and advocacy work. The John Hopkins University, National Malaria Control Programme, Global Fund, World Health Organisation and the Hohoe Municipality would fund the programme.