Public told to complete full dosage of malaria drug

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has stressed the need for patients taking malaria drugs to always ensure they complete the dosage required in order to reduce the incidence of the disease.

Dr Atsu Dodor, Deputy Director in charge of Clinical Care, Western Region, attributed some of the persistent suffering of malaria to the failure of patients to complete the dosage.

He was addressing media personnel, pharmacists and other paramedical staff of the Sekondi-Takoradi at a forum organized by the Service.

The forum aimed at sensitizing the journalists to inform the public about the availability of the new AMFm malaria medicine introduced onto the Ghanaian market.

Dr Dodor assured of the effectiveness and affordability of the medicine sold at pharmacy shops at GH¢1.50 pesewas and called on the public to use it based on prescription.

He, however, cautioned the public to look out for the green leaf logo on the packet of the AMFm if it was to be bought over the counter, assuring that chemical sellers and pharmacy attendants had been trained to dispense it.

The Deputy Clinical Care Director explained that the AMFm was introduced because malaria parasites were becoming increasingly resistant to older medicines, such as chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.

Dr Dodor said the Service was critical about malaria because it tops cases of Out Patients Attendance (OPD), admissions and deaths, especially among children below five years.

Between January and October this year a total of 28,966 malaria cases were recorded at the hospital out of which 14,084 were under five with 120 deaths and 108 above five dying.

Dr Dodor called on the public to use the treated mosquito nets and the observances of healthy environmental practices effectively to reduce the incidence of malaria.

Source: GNA