Ghana intensifies efforts in direction of malaria elimination

Accra – Charity Damoah, 36, misplaced depend of the variety of occasions she was admitted to hospital with malaria whereas rising up in Sunyani, in Ghana’s Bono area. However issues are completely different now for her two-year-old son John.

Not like the various different Ghanaians who had lived each day with the specter of the illness, he has by no means had malaria.

“Over time, malaria has affected everybody in my household, with some even dying consequently. Now, if you find yourself pregnant, you obtain malaria medicines and mosquito nets.  And the kids additionally obtain medicines or vaccines to guard them from malaria. So I’m completely satisfied for my son and different kids as a result of this isn’t one thing we had after we have been rising up,” says Damoah.

Gertrude Anno from Assin Fosu in Ghana’s Central area concurs with Damoah as her two kids haven’t suffered from malaria like she did whereas rising up in a area with one of many highest burden of malaria within the nation.

“All of the issues that well being employees have been doing have helped to guard my kids from malaria. For my son Kwesi, he’s even fortunate to have obtained the malaria vaccination and so he has been very wholesome,” added Anno.

In 2018, Ghana was amongst Africa’s 10 high-burden malaria international locations to learn from the Excessive Burden Excessive Influence (HBHI) strategy. With assist from World Well being Group (WHO) and the RBM Partnership to Finish Malaria, Ghana undertook the HBHI strategy, which is a focused mechanism of actions and interventions for efficient malaria management, in direction of elimination of the illness.

The strategy has enabled Ghana to undertake tailor-made measures and optimize the usage of current instruments for the discount of malaria-related deaths.

The nation has managed to scale back the charges of malaria parasite prevalence in kids youthful than 5, from 20.6% in 2016, to eight.6% by 2023 in accordance with the Ghana Demographic Well being Survey. The mixed use of vaccines, distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets and different methods additionally resulted in a discount of in-patient audited malaria deaths, from 428 in 2018, to 155 in 2022.

The altering face of the malaria burden in Ghana is attributable to the implementation of strong nationwide malaria management efforts, together with seasonal malaria chemoprevention, indoor residual spraying, and intermittent preventive therapy.

As well as, as of September 2023, a complete of two.2 million doses of the world’s first malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01, had been administered to 708 970 eligible kids in seven of Ghana’s 16 areas.

WHO’s assist for Ghana’s malaria management efforts has included coaching and monitoring of malaria preventive measures, together with seasonal malaria chemoprevention and malaria vaccines. The Group additionally supported the strengthening of malaria surveillance, monitoring and analysis, together with malaria danger stratification.

“The information reveals that our technique in opposition to malaria has been efficient. We are going to proceed to work with companions to make sure that we construct on this momentum to consolidate the features in direction of malaria elimination in Ghana,” says Dr Keziah L. Malm, the Ghana Nationwide Malaria Elimination Programme Supervisor.

The latest enhance for Ghana’s malaria efforts was the launch of the Nationwide Malaria Strategic Elimination Plan 2024–2028, a blueprint to speed up progress in direction of malaria elimination.

Dr Frank Lule, Performing WHO Consultant in Ghana, attributes the progress in opposition to malaria to the multi-pronged technique.

“The usage of indoor residual spraying, handled mosquito nets and now the malaria vaccine, has strengthened Ghana’s malaria management toolbox and is starting to indicate dividends,” he famous.

The multi-strategy response additionally ensures the development of well being and gender fairness, and human rights, with susceptible populations being prioritized. All malaria preventive and chemopreventive interventions in Ghana are free for youngsters youthful than 5 and pregnant ladies. Youngsters of all ages have additionally benefited from the distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bednets (LLINs), providing safety to households from malaria-causing mosquitos.

“Ghana’s strategy to the combat in opposition to malaria has been anchored on leaving nobody behind. We proceed to actively present technical assist to the nation’s efforts to guard probably the most susceptible from the threats of malaria,” famous Dr Felicia Owusu-Antwi, Nationwide Skilled Officer for Malaria, Vector-Born and Uncared for Tropical Illnesses.

For moms like Damoah and Anno, Ghana’s efforts in opposition to malaria has additionally mirrored of their improved information of malaria preventive measures, which they consider has been key to defending their households.

“Now, I frequently sleep underneath handled mosquito nets with my kids and while additionally guaranteeing that setting doesn’t breed mosquitos,” says Damoah. “I encourage each father or mother to comply with all the recommendation of the well being employees to guard their households”.

The Africa area continues to shoulder the best burden of malaria globally, accounting for  94% of all malaria circumstances (233 million) and 95% of all malaria deaths (580 000) in 2022.

With the current certification of Cabo Verde as malaria-free, and Ghana’s progress in direction of elimination, there may be trigger for optimism, says Dr Dorothy Achu, Crew Lead for Tropical and Vector-Born Illnesses at WHO Africa, noting that these achievements mirror strengthened malaria management efforts regionally.

“Cabo Verde and Ghana have demonstrated that sustained dedication is essential to the malaria management agenda. In keeping with our dedication to Ending illness in Africa, WHO will proceed to assist the upkeep and scale-up of malaria management interventions throughout the area,” she says.