• There's extreme resistance to insecticides among Anopheles mosquitoes in a small cocoa growing in the Ashanti Region

•The malaria vectors showed one dominating during the dry season and the other during the rainy season

•The findings was conducted by BNARI and the GAEC

A research conducted by the Biotechnology and Nuclear Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has showed an extreme resistance to insecticides among Anopheles mosquitoes in a small cocoa growing village of the Ashanti Region.

A statement issued by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission explained the research which was conducted at Atatam in the Adansi Asokwa District of the Ashanti Region found that there were two major malaria vectors.

It said “one dominating during the dry season and the other during the rainy season. Unlike in many communities, where there is only one transmission season, usually the rainy season.”

According to the statement, this was revealed by the Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Osae, when he shared the findings with the Chief and people of Atatam last Wednesday, at a Malaria Awareness Campaign to commemorate this Year’s World Malaria Day.

The campaign which is dubbed, Zero Malaria Draw the line against Malaria, was organized by BNARI, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ghana Education Service (GES), and AngloGold Ashanti Malaria Control (AGAMal).

As part of the programme, the people of Atatam were screened and treated against the malaria parasite.

According to the Director, research was ongoing to proffer alternative tools that could fight the malaria vectors or prevent further resistance to maintain the effectiveness of existing vector control interventions.

“Our research found out that there are two main types of malaria-causing mosquitoes in the Atatam Community - Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus. The populations of both species have high resistance to all classes of insecticides organophosphates, organochlorines, pyrethroids, and carbamates recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for public health use,” he added.

Read the full statement below: