Sunyani(B/A), Jan. 23, GNA - Forty-four chemical sellers last Thursday attended a day's home-based care training in malaria at Sunyani.

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Health Administration of Ghana Health Service organised the workshop for participants selected from 12 out of the 19 districts in the region.

They were Tano North and South districts, Asutifi, Asunafo North and South districts, and Jaman North and South districts. The rest were, Tain, Wenchi, Berekum, Dormaa and Sunyani Municipality.

Topics discussed included "the National Anti-Malaria Drug policy", "Malaria transmission", "Management of complicated and uncomplicated malaria", "The role of chemical sellers and the policy" and "Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT)".

Mr. Anthony Ofori, Brong Ahafo Regional Malaria Control Focal person said the workshop was part of a programme to educate health staff and partners, including chemical sellers on the policy. He said the policy laid emphasis on Artesunate-Amodiaquine as the main selected effective and affordable drug to replace Chloroquine in the treatment of Malaria.

Mr. Ofori said the GHS alone could not undertake education on the policy therefore, the need for assistance of other health partners. He urged chemical sellers especially those based in rural communities to be more conversant with the use of the new drug for the policy to achieve the desired goals.

Mr. James Frimpong, National Malaria Control Programme Officer in-charge of Ashanti, Eastern and Brong-Ahafo regions, advised chemical sellers to refer pregnant women with any symptoms of malaria to hospitals or health centres.

He explained that pregnant women needed direct observation therapy that could be done only in hospitals and health centres and not at home. Mr Frimpong said research had proved that cases of "non-formed child" were the result of some pregnant women taking drugs within the first three months of pregnancy.

He said Chemical sellers could sell Artesunate-Amodiaquine to pregnant women with prescriptions from approved or recognized hospitals or health centres.

Mr. Frimpong said the workshop was to enable the chemical sellers to know more about the new malaria policy. He said the Pharmacy Council would organise similar workshops on the application of the new drug.