Students of University of Ghana under the Umbrella of University of Ghana Medical Laboratory Science Students’ Association (UG-MELSSA) has held its 12th Annual Scientific Conference with a call on private sector, to invest in the efforts to reach zero malaria cases in Ghana.
The conference was held on the theme: “Empowering Communities, Eliminating Malaria: Sustaining Progress towards Zero Malaria.”
Giving statistics of malaria prevalence rate, Presidential Advisor on Health Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare who was the keynote speaker at the event noted that, at the end of 2023, 2.5million children had received malaria vaccines across the country, which he believes is the step in the right direction to eliminate malaria from the country.
He called on private sector, to invest in the health of the community they operate in, buy collaborating with government in the fight against malaria.
U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia Palmer speaking at the Scientific Conference for Malaria Elimination mentioned that, for almost 20 years – since 2006 – the United States Government has partnered with Ghana to eliminate malaria.
She emphasized, malaria is both preventable and treatable, therefore, there is no reason for it to take heavy a toll as it does on Ghana’s development, and on the health of all Ghanaians.
She disclosed the US government has over the past 18 years, contributed over $460
million U.S. dollars; which is 6.9 billion Ghana Cedis, to support the development and implementation of a national strategy to combat malaria based on the best science available.
Adding that, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, or PMI, has procured over 27 million mosquito nets, 36 million malaria rapid diagnostic tests, and over 13 million preventive malaria treatments for Ghanaians, and have also collaborated with the Ghana Health
Service National Malaria Elimination Program, local academic centers of excellence like the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and local pharmaceutical manufacturing companies.
The US Ambassador believes, it is through these collaborations and support, that the prevalence of malaria among children under five has plummeted from 27.5% in 2011 to 8.6% in 2022.
“These results were achieved not just with drugs and treatment but because community leaders including chiefs, queen mothers, parents, and youth, mobilized to encourage
sleeping under bed nets, testing, and seeking prompt treatment, and ensuring the most vulnerable groups – pregnant women and children under five years old – take preventive
malaria treatment during the rainy season” she said.
She however charged the ministry of finance to institute rapid customs clearance and distribution across the country of donated malaria commodities like malaria test kits,
antimalarials, and bed net, and also, continued prioritization of domestic financing for improving primary healthcare access across the country.
“Per the recent news, the Ministers of Health and Finance have facilitated the customs clearance of the $45 million worth of Global Fund donated HIV, TB and Malaria commodities
sitting at the Tema port since mid 2023. But, due to logistical challenges, it will take at least two more weeks before these commodities can be distributed to those who need them most -mothers, children and the sick. The customs clearance process has taken over a year. While the containers were sitting at the port, Ghana ran out of malaria test kits and other life saving medicines like the ones we use to treat tuberculosis. Bed nets used to prevent malaria transmission are also in these containers”.
She called the Government of Ghana to take this situation very seriously and conduct an after action review to resolve the bottlenecks that caused this delay.
Organisers of this year’s scientific conference say, they chose to focus on the elimination of malaria because Ghana aims to attain the status of a malaria free country in 2028.
Gideon Owusu has therefore called on all sectors to get involved since government cannot do it alone.