Agona-Swedru, Nov. 17, GNA - Plan Ghana (PG), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) spent 328 million cedis or 3,280 Ghana Cedis on malaria control in the Awutu-Bawjiase Programme Area last year. Mrs. Gloria Obeng-Amoakoh, Health Advisor of the Organization, disclosed this at the annual Project Coordinating Committee review meeting at Agona-Swedru.

Participants made up health officials and representatives of various district mutual health insurance schemes, from the Ga West District in the Greater Accra and the Awutu-Effutu-Senya, Agona and Gomoa Districts of the Central Region.

Topics discussed at the six-hour appraisal included, Child Survival and Reproductive Health in Ghana, report on Community Based Growth Promotion and the operation of Nutrition Sensitization Centres established by Plan Ghana to check malnutrition among children. Mrs. Gloria Obeng-Amoakoh charged the participants to intensify education on the use of treated mosquito nets by pregnant women and nursing mothers to protect themselves and children against malaria. Mrs. Amelia Allan, Bawjiase Programme Area Manager of Plan Ghana, stressed the need for District Assemblies Plan Ghana was operating in to play effective frontline in the programmes of the organisation geared towards improving the socio-economic lives of the people. Mrs. Allan urged them to foster stronger and sustained collaboration with Plan Ghana to ensure the success of health, education and economic projects initiated by the organisation.

She agreed with the suggestion by Mr. Joseph Yaw Owusu-Kwarteng, Public Relations Officer of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, that Assembly Members, Religious Organizations and Traditional Authorities in communities with the Nutrition Centres to team up with the operators to educate nursing mothers in rural areas to patronize them.

She pointed out that this was the only way that nursing mothers could take advantage of the facilities to reduce child mortality in the areas.

Mr. Owusu-Kwarteng also suggested that part of funds generated by beneficiary communities from the sale of the treated mosquito nets could be used to pay for the health insurance registration fees and premium of very vulnerable in the communities to have access to free healthcare services.

Mr George Aketewah, Awutu-Effuttu-Senya District Nutrition Officer, who presided, charged the stakeholders especially District Assemblies to make positive contributions to buttress the efforts of the Ministry of Health and NGOs such as Plan-Ghana to improve the child survival and reproductive health in the country. 17 Nov 07