Ntomem (E/R), May 05, GNA - Records indicate that malaria cases reported at the various hospitals and clinics in the Kwahu South District reduced by 11.5 percent last year as against 50 percent two years ago.

No pregnant woman died from the diseased during the same period, however, 20 children below five years died from the disease last year as against 120 the previous year. Dr Joseph Larbi Opare, Kwahu South District Director of Health Services (DDHS) said this at the launch of this year's Malaria and Tuberculosis (TB) awareness day at Ntomem near Bepong. It was under the theme "Malaria is a Disease without Borders". He said the reduction of malaria cases in the district was due to the prescription of the artesonate amodiaquin drug to patients with symptoms of malaria who visited the hospitals and other health centres in the area.

Dr Opare said malaria is the fastest killer disease in the country as over 70 percent of patients who reported at the Out-Patients Department (OPD) had symptoms of the diseases. He advised the public to keep their surroundings clean and bury all emptied food cans to avoid the breeding of mosquitoes during the rainy season.

Dr Opare said the disease had no boundaries and could spread to all parts of the continent. He advised parents to ensure that their children slept under insecticide treated nets to avoid being infested with the disease. Dr Opare urged parents to send their children who experienced conditions like high temperature, body weakness and vomiting to the hospital on time. He also advised pregnant women to attend ante-natal care regularly to receive malaria treatment to avoid the disease, which could result in miscarriage.

Dr Kofi Marfo, Eastern Regional TB Coordinator said nine million TB cases were reported annually throughout the world out of which 26,000 died. He said the disease, which was curable with free treatment, attacked the spinal cord, the skin and other parts of the body and urged people who continued coughing for two weeks to go to the nearest hospital for treatment.