Sandema (U/E), Aug. 24, GNA - Youth Link Ghana, a health based non governmental organisation (NGO), in the Builsa District, has embarked on a campaign to eradicate malaria and create a healthy environment for the vulnerable youth in the area.

It is also meant to create a platform for the youth in the area to be integrated and effectively involved in the decision-making and developmental processes of their communities to transform and improve on their conditions of life.

The campaign attracted school children and a team from UNICEF Ghana and Italy, who matched through the streets of Sandema, the district capital, with placards that read, "Malaria a killer disease,' 'Sleep under treated mosquito nets,' 'Malaria is a threat to national development,' 'lets keep our environment clean' and 'Ghana needs you to stay alive'.

Mr Roland Adatu, Executive Director of the organisation, noted that malaria was a challenge to human development and its effect on people of all ages was immense especially among pregnant women and children.

He noted that malaria in school children was a major cause of absenteeism, saying reports from the World Health Organisation and UNICEF in 2003, showed that about two percent of children who recovered from cerebral malaria suffered brain damage including epilepsy.

He called on members of the community to keep their surroundings clean since the rainy season was conducive for mosquito breeding.

Mr David Aladago, Project Coordinator, said it was worrying to know that malaria contributed substantially to the poor health situation in Africa as it was hyper endemic in all parts of the country, with the entire population at risk.

He said according to the Ghana Health Service, malaria was the number one cause of morbidity accounting for about 38 per cent of all out patient illnesses, 36 per cent for all admissions and 33 per cent for all deaths in children less than five years.