Ghana Health Service distributes 1.6 million insecticide bed nets

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Northern Region, has taken delivery of 1.6 million insecticide-treated bed nets for free distribution to residents as an intervention to fight Malaria.

Dr Jacob Mahama, the Northern Regional Director of GHS who stated this at a press conference in Tamale on Monday said two people in each household would be entitled to one bed net to help reduce the high incidence of Malaria which now constitutes 37 per cent of hospital admissions in the Region.

He said the situation has resulted from the non-use of the long-lasting treated bed nets and called on residents to sleep in the nets to prevent them from getting Malaria parasites which is transmitted to humans through the bites of female anopheles mosquitoes

Miss Owusu Akrofie, Medical Entomologist at the National Malaria Control Programme said the insecticide nets were World Health Organization (WHO) approved and were being distributed across the country.

She said a team would visit people’s houses and take their details after which they would be given coupons which would later be replaced with the insecticide bed nets.

Miss Akrofie advised residents not to hesitate to report anyone who attempts selling the bed nets to them.

Source: GNA