Malaria mortality rate among infants declines – report

Malaria related deaths among infants in the country has gone down drastically, a report by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), has revealed.

According to the report, malaria mortality rate among children, especially below five years currently stood at 0.5 per cent, Mrs Aba Baffoe-Wilmot, Medical Entomologist at the NMCP disclosed at a media briefing in Sunyani on Wednesday.

She attributed the success to several malaria intervention programmes implemented by the NMCP in the country, particularly the free distribution and usage of treated mosquito nets.

Mrs Baffoe-Wilmot explained that in 2011, the Programme distributed about 12 million mosquito insecticide treated nets nationwide, adding that, it had increased the number of nets for distribution this year.

In Brong-Ahafo alone, the Medical Entomologist said about 1.3 million nets would be supplied among households in the region.

Mrs Baffoe-Wilmot explained that, according to the universal coverage, two people in a household would benefit from a net each; adding that, a household of five people would also receive two nets.

Mrs Baffoe-Wilmot said the NMCP had engaged volunteers who would go round the various communities and distribute the nets free of charge and advised beneficiaries to hang and always sleep under the nets.

Source: GNA