Hohoe, June 20, GNA- Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area has launched an anti-malaria drive with a clean-up exercise in his traditional area. Togbe Gabusu told the Ghana News Agency during the clean-up exercise at the Gbi Senior High Secondary and Technical School in Hohoe that, there is no empirical evidence to show that malaria is caused by working too hard under the sun and eating sweetened foods. "Only mosquito bites cause malaria", he asserted. He said malaria was confirmed by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) as the number one killer disease currently in the country and responsible for between 80-85 percent reported cases at health facilities.

Togbega Gabusu appealed to corporate, public and private institutions to support his initiative in view of the negative effects of malaria on national productivity and health budget. Mr. Kwame Doe, Health Promotion and Education Officer at the Hohoe District Health Directorate appealed to members of the public to facilitate the eradication exercise by burying containers such as empty cans, coconut shells and lorry tyres, which served as receptacles for mosquitoes to breed in. He urged the people to cover water pots and containers, keep their surroundings clean, patronize treated bed nets and use protective clothes and anti-malaria drugs. Mr. Doe said malaria tends to seriously affect children under five years, pregnant women and older people because of their weaker immunity.