Tamale, GNA- The Northern Regional Directorate of Health Services (RDHS) has trained over 3,756 Community Based Agents and 64 Service providers under its programmes of Home Management of Malaria and the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness.

Dr. Akwasi Twumasi, Regional Director of Health Services announced this during this year's "World Malaria Day" in Tamale. The occasion which had as its theme: "Counting out malaria through community action" was organized by the Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and its local partners.

Dr. Twumasi said malaria accounted for 38.6 percent of Out patient Attendance (OPD) and 18 percent of reported deaths in health institutions in the region. He said, for instance in 2007, the region recorded 332,959 cases at the OPD and 20, 393 cases of admission with 532 recorded deaths as a result of malaria.

The Regional Director said over 20 million people in the country were exposed to malaria infection, adding that, it was the biggest killer and largest contributor to the disease burden in Ghana. He said in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Ghana was implementing a malaria control strategy that involved multi and inter-sectoral partnership working on an agreed plan to reduce death and illness due to malaria.

On the Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) for pregnant women he said, in 2007 only 39 percent of women in the region were covered with the required doses and attributed the low turn out to the late and irregular attendance of most pregnant women for antenatal services. He entreated pregnant women to patronize antenatal services as soon as they got pregnant and also endeavour to attend the clinics at least four times before delivery.

Dr. Twumasi said the GHS in collaboration with UNICEF and the WHO had been distributing Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITN) to pregnant women but however regretted that instead of using the nets for protection women in the rural areas were rather keeping them to display during their child naming ceremonies. Madam Sanatu Nantogma, Country Director of the CCFC commended government for embarking on an intensive sanitation exercise but urged government to also promote behaviour change initiatives to bring about sustainable solutions to the menace of malaria.