Gushie (N/R), Sept 7, GNA - The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of the Ghana Health Service has taken its Roll Back malaria prevention sensitization initiative to the doorsteps of corporate institutions, to solicit their support to achieve NMCP targets. One of such institutions is the Integrated Tamale Fruit Company, whose workers had benefited from free malaria screening, insecticide treated mosquito nets and knowledge on malaria prevention. Madam Aba Baffoe-Wilmot, Medical Entomologist of the NMCP, said these at malaria durbar, organised for the workers of the company and people in the area, on Monday in Tamale.

She said that malaria continued to be the leading case reported at Out Patient Department in the country's health institutions, accounting for 35.6 percent of the cases reported to the facility. Madam Baffoe-Wilmot asked individuals and institutions to whip-up the campaign against the disease to ensure that the country had a healthy workforce for national development.

She said that the Ministry of Health could not eliminate or reduce malaria without the support of corporate institutions. Madam Baffoe-Wilmot said malaria is caused by plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted by the anopheles mosquito adding that "Children under five and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the disease". She said the disease could be classified into complicated and uncomplicated with the latter having minor symptoms, which are usually ignored resulting in complications adding that all malaria symptoms must be seriously treated.

Madam Baffoe-Wilmot said there were about 3,500 mosquito types, considered harmful in Ghana, adding that there are two types of anopheles mosquito that transmit malaria and mostly breeds in unhygienic conditions and stagnant waters. She called on Ghanaians to use insecticide treated mosquito nets and keep their surroundings clean to avoid contracting malaria. Mr. James Amaligo, Assistant General Manager, said the company would adopt malaria sensitization programmes to ensure that its workers benefit from the fight against malaria. He said the workers of the company were being counseled and voluntarily tested for HIV and AIDS. Mr. Amaligo said the company had instituted health initiative programmes including the setting up of clinics within its operational areas, and it was in the process of acquiring National Health Insurance Scheme cards for workers to enable them to have access to health care delivery.

Dr. Richmond Ato Selby, Malaria Technical Advisor of ProMPT Ghana, called on all institutions in the country to incorporate malaria prevention strategies into their programmes, to provide free insecticide nets to workers and support communities to eliminate malaria. A total of 220 people were sensitized, 92 tested for malaria and 29 tested positive for the malaria parasite and given medication while 300 nets were distributed freely to the workers. 7 Sept 10 Attention recipients, item 01 ends first cast.