The Public Health Unit of the Volta Regional Health Directorate has appealed to traditional authorities and heads of clans to add treated mosquito net to the bride price list in their respective jurisdictions and clans.

This according to the Regional Malaria Focal Person, Roland Glover, would promote the culture of owning and using treated mosquito net in homes, which would compliment government’s efforts targeted at eliminating malaria.

“When traditional authorities embrace this idea, it would go a long way to promote net use culture in the region”, he said during a stakeholders meeting on malaria campaign in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.

Mr Glover further detailed that mosquito net was previously part of bride price list adding the practice significantly contributed to a decline of malaria cases recorded in the Volta Region hence the need to revisit that practice.

1.4 million LLIN to be distributed across Volta Region

Meanwhile, the Volta Health Regional Directorate has announced its readiness to distribute over 1.4 million Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN) across the region.

The distribution exercise forms part of the Ghana Health Service’s 2018 LLIN Mass Distribution Campaign targeted at reducing the prevalence of malaria in the country.

Some 2,340,202 individuals would benefit from the distribution exercise, using the universal coverage approach of 2 persons to 1 mosquito net.

The beneficiaries have been registered and issued code cards which would be used to access the nets at the various distribution points during the exercise.

The LLIN Mass Distribution Campaign would take off between 27th March to 6th of April across all districts and municipalities in region in exception of South Tongu and Akatsi North Districts which benefited from the pilot phase.

The Volta Regional Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, announced that some special features have been added to the mosquito nets to prevent theft and unauthorized sales.

“As part of security measures, the net has the following features, logo of the Ghana Health Service, not for sale inscription and contact numbers to call in case the net is sold to anyone”, he noted.

The nationwide mass distribution campaign is being sponsored by Global Fund, USAID, PMI Vector Works and other stakeholders.