The Central Regional (C/R) Directorate of Pharmacy Council has trained 971 Over the Counter Medicines Sellers (OTCMS) throughout the region to ensure effective diagnosis and treatment of malaria at the community level.

Mr. Appiah Kwesi Baffour, Central Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council said this in an interview with the GNA at Kasoa when he toured premises of people who had applied for certificates to be OTCMS in Awutu-Senya East Municipality and nearby districts.

He said the training was held at 13 centres in the region and it was sponsored jointly by Ministry of Health, USAID, and Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS).

According to Mr. Baffour the objective of the training was for OTCMS to understand basic concepts of malaria control strategies, recognize symptoms of uncomplicated and severe malaria in adults and children.

He said the Ministry of Health, through the Pharmacy Council, aims to equip OTCMS with skills required to manage malaria efficiently, how to use malaria Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) tools to diagnose and confirm malaria before treatment, understand when, why and where to refer and also to adopt good dispensing practices.

Mr. Baffour said malaria was the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the country and had economic impact, low productivity and reduced school attendance.