Larval Source Management crucial to malaria control and prevention

The Deputy Director, Public Health (DDPH) in the Ashanti Region, Dr Michael Rockson Adjei, has emphasised that Larval Source Management (LSM) was a crucial malaria control intervention.

He admonished Ghanaians to embrace this measure when its implementation begins.

Dr Adjei made the statement while speaking to journalists at the end of a one-day LSM training held for health workers in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, on Friday, May 21, 2021.

The training, which came off in Kumasi, was organised by Zoomlion Ghana Limited in partnership with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) under its National Malaria Control Programme (NAMCOP) and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).

It brought together one hundred and sixty (160) various health workers from eighteen (18) districts and one (1) sentinel in the region.

The districts were Asokore Mampong, Asokwa, Ashanti Mampong Municipal, Kwabre East, Ejisu, Old Tafo, Manhyia North, Manhyia South, Atwima Mponua, Atwima Nwabiagya, Atwima Kwanwoma, Sekyere East, Kwadaso, Bosomtwe, Suame, Bekwai, Oforikrom, Offinso and Obuasi as sentinel.

Dr Adjei explained that LSM was basically to control the vector that carries the malaria parasite.

“It is also to ensure how to control the anopheles mosquito in limiting the number of vectors.

This LSM intervention, he further noted, will help decrease the burden or number of malaria cases, “we see at a particular time or in a month.”

He said LSM application of larvicide was done at various mosquito breeding sites that could be dredged.

"For example, you may have a very big water body like a lake that it cannot readily drain or even a marshy area that serves as a source or breeding site for mosquitoes," he added.

According to him, the application of larvicide was crucial in fighting the development state of the vector, adding that “it will enable us to reduce the population of mosquitoes.”

Mosquito is the key vector that transmits malaria amongst the population, he said.

Dr Adjei emphasised the need for an intense collaboration between GHS, ZGL and the communities.

The Regional Environmental Health Officer, Ashanti Region, Mr Don Awantungo, who was very satisfied with the training, said the LSM training will help in controlling malaria cases in the region.

"In fact, this particular programme would help so much in tackling mosquitoes from the larvae stage," he said.

He, therefore, commended the organisers for putting together the training programme, pointing out that “we need to equip field workers so that they can do their work well”

The Zoomlion General Manager, Ashanti East, Mr Franklin Ofori Akuffo, indicated that the LSM was one of the best interventions in the control of malaria.

According to Ofori Akuffo, this LSM can help moving from one place to another in controlling every work done.

He reiterated his outfit’s commitment to support the government improve the lives of the citizenry.

"I encourage our workers to give in their utmost best, because at the end of the day they are going to pay for whatever they are doing. And once you have been paid for it, we need to go out there and do our best so that the programme would be a success," he urged.