Mosquito bed net committee inaugurated

A 12- Member Mosquito Bed Net Hanging Committee, has been inaugurated in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, to plan the sensitization of mosquito net hanging programme in the district.

Inaugurating the committee, the District Director for Health Service, Madam Elizabeth Corney, said the programme sought to reduce the prevalence rate of malaria in the district.

She said the programme was under the National Malaria Programme, with funding from the Global fund.

The District Health Director said the first time the programme was introduced, its target group was children under five years and expectant mothers; however the aim of reducing malaria was not achieved.

She indicated that the programme, this time around, would cover everybody and that each household would have a mosquito net.

Madam Corney said anyone, who decides to hang the mosquito net would be guided by the health officers, saying that, anyone who declines the hanging would not be given the net.

Madam Corney said during the earlier exercise, a survey conducted showed that there was 100 percent possession rate but the utilization rate was 90 percent adding that even with the utilization rate at 90 percent, malaria continued to be the leading cause of illness at the out patients department(OPD) of hospitals and health centres.

She said the District Directors for Health, in each district, together with the District or Municipal Chief Executive, would be called to render account on the success or otherwise of the programme and therefore appealed to all the members to contribute to the success of the programme.

The District Chief Executive for Ellembelle District, Hon. Daniel K. Eshun called on the chiefs and the assembly members to ensure their communities involvement, in order to make the programme a success.

The inauguration saw representatives from the traditional councils, the clergy, fishermen, GPRTU, Media, Assembly, health service, market women and the Islamic community.

Source: GNA