The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) will on Thursday, 15 November 2018, begin an exercise to distribute 3,674,680 Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITN) to various households, as a strategy to reduce malaria in the region.

A total of 1,630,999 households, who registered during the registration period from the various communities in the region, are expected to benefit from the distribution of the treated nets at no cost.

The Regional Health Director, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang said the seven-day free distribution exercise, which would commence on Thursday, will be done in partnership with GHS development partners including the Ghana Malaria Control Programme.

Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi on Monday, 12 November 2018, Dr Tenkorang said a distribution point will be created in all the communities, hence, urged all registered individuals to take their cards to designated distribution points in their communities for the collection of the nets.

He urged the beneficiaries to hang the LLIN for 48 hours in an open shady space before they sleep under them to reduce side effects such as body itching.

He also advised the public to make sure their homes have good ventilation in order to aid them to sleep under LLIN throughout the night without difficulties.

Dr. Tenkorang told Class News’ Maxwell Ofori Atta in an interview that the previous free distribution exercise among other strategies, had helped in the reduction of malaria cases on OPD basis in the region from 45 per cent to 35 per cent, adding that the cases are expected to further reduce by 10 per cent or less.

He implored the media to partner the regional health directorate to educate and inform the general public on the need to sleep under the nets.