Kuntanase (Ash), Feb 6, GNA- The Roll Back Malaria programme which was introduced by the Ministry of Health as a strategy to reduce malaria infection cases in the country by up to 20 per cent by the year 2010 is yielding positive results.

The programme, which was introduced in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District in 2000, has helped reduce malaria cases from 68 per cent in 2001 to 46 per cent in 2003. Dr Kofi Kamaladeen Hussein, the District Director of Health Services, who made this known, said the training of 106 chemical sellers, school health education co-ordinators, community based surveillance volunteers and health workers in 120 communities under the programme, had helped in the creation of awareness among the people. He was speaking at a press briefing at Kuntanase on Thursday as part of activities marking the first anniversary of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the district.

He said the District Health Management Team (DHMT) was intensifying efforts at training more people on the proper management of uncomplicated malaria and referral cases to health centres for proper management and treatment.

Dr Hussein stated that to bring about improvement in health care delivery, there was the need for partnership with household and communities to ensure that the people were well informed about good health.

He, however, expressed concern about lack of adequate staff and logistics at the Kuntanase Hospital, which was the district health facility.

Dr Hussein called for early release of Donor Pooled Funds (DPF) in order not to cripple the activities at the district health administration.

He announced that a new clinic had been constructed and equipped at Nweneso Number Three as a means of increasing accessibility to health facilities to the people, adding that, another clinic was being put by the district assembly from the HIPC fund at Abono.