Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu said Ghana has made significant progress in the fight against malaria.
He said that for more than a decade, the country had been able to reduce malaria deaths by 96% by 2022, compared to 2008.
“Malaria-related deaths among all age groups will decrease from 3,889 in 2008 to 155 by the end of 2022, a reduction of approximately 96%,” he said.
He made this comment at the launch of the National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan on January 16, 2024.
Mr. Agyeman-Manu said the country will achieve this progress through the implementation of an eradication program that includes malaria case management guidelines, implementation of laboratory diagnostics for malaria, and implementation of surveillance visits to public and private health institutions. He explained that it was possible.
“The National Malaria Eradication Program was established to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 75% by 2020, from a 2012 baseline.
“Key interventions and strategies implemented by the eradication program include the distribution of highly effective insecticidal nets across the country through health facilities, communities and schools, malaria case management, malaria in pregnancy, malaria laboratory testing and This includes rolling out guidelines on anti-malarial drugs and enforcing the policy in all regions.
“Carry out oversight visits to monthly data reviews of public health and private health, maintain data quality audits and monitor activities of epidemiological surveillance sites,” he added.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to completely eliminate malaria in Ghana, the government has launched the National Malaria Eradication Strategic Plan.
The plan aims to reduce malaria mortality by 90% by 2028 and malaria cases by 50% by 2028.
Mr. Agyeman-Manu expressed optimism in Ghana’s ability to eradicate the disease, citing the success of the National Malaria Plan.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboazi, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, said the disease needs to be completely eradicated as other countries are doing.
“The disease imposes a significant economic burden on households, health systems, and the national economy. Malaria-related illness and death lead to lost productivity, and missed work and school result in high medical costs as well as personal costs. “Costs will also increase. This may result in lower economic growth and development,” he added.
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