Obuasi, Nov. 1, GNA - The incidence of Malaria in Obuasi has drastically reduced since 2005 following the introduction of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved as the most effective means to fight the disease. Given a high malaria incidence of over 13,000 cases per month in the Obuasi Municipality, the figure took a nosedive to as low as 7,000 cases in September 2006 through the use of IRS by AngloGold Ashanti Company at Obuasi.

The IRS is the application of a long-acting insecticide on the walls and roofs of houses and domestic animal shelters in order to kill malaria transmitting mosquitoes that land on those surfaces.

This was made known at Obuasi on Wednesday when Dr Joaquin Saweka, the WHO Country representative called at the AngloGold Ashanti Company's Malaria Control Centre for West Africa to see the progress of work of the implementation of the IRS programme.

Elaborating on the programme's success story, Mr Samuel Danso, Superintendent in Charge of Administration at the Centre said the first phase of the project which was completed on July 14 this year covered 105,564 structures of approximately 25,000 houses that were sprayed which yielded good responses from the communities.

The second round which started on September 11 this year resulted in an average decline of 2000 cases per month at the mine hospital since February this year.

Mr Danso said of the 6000 malaria patients per month recorded at the mine's hospital, 1,900 were employees of the company. He said the mine spent in excess of 40,500 dollars as costs of medical treatment of malaria every month in 2005.

He said the centre uses an integrated approach which incorporates all preventive methods, early diagnosis and effective treatment. These include vector control, distribution of insecticides treated nets, larvicides for breeding areas, environmental management, surveillance, monitoring and research as well as Information Education and Communication (IEC).

Mr Danso said the programme, being implemented in collaboration with the District Assembly had so far covered about 35 per cent of the Obuasi township and was hopeful to be completed before the end of the year. Dr Saweka lauded the efforts of the company and said the high level mortality rate in malaria cases was no longer acceptable and should be fought with all types strategies.

He said implementing the IRS did not depend on the product use but rather the process of application hence the WHO's re-introduction of DDT to control malaria.

Dr Saweka said it was important to allay the fears surrounding the use of DDT from years past because research had shown that a well-managed IRS programme with the DDT posed no danger to wildlife and humans.

He said the WHO had therefore given its blessings saying it was safe for a house spraying.