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According to the data, deaths of all ages related to malaria in the country have been reduced by more than a quarter in 2018 compared with the previous year, 2017.
In 2018, 428 deaths from malaria were recorded, indicating a 29% reduction in the number of deaths from malaria compared to 2017, when 599 deaths were recorded.
Progress
Dr. Keziah Malm, Program Manager for the National Malaria Control Program, made this revelation at a press conference preceding the Malaria Day ceremonies on April 25 of each year.
This year's Malaria Day theme is "Zero Malaria Begins with Me" and seeks to highlight the need for political commitment and sustained investment in malaria prevention, control and elimination.
Presenting a progress report on malaria control in the country, Dr. Malm said that of the total number of deaths attributable to malaria reported in 2018, there were 251 deaths of children under five years old , compared to 327 in 2017.
In addition, she said that confirmed cases of malaria would have increased from 593,959 in 2017 to 510,210 in 2018, while the number of malaria admissions would have increased from 344,213 in 2017 to 351,163 in 2018, or an increase of 2%.
Meanwhile, about 11 million suspected cases of malaria have been recorded in various outpatient departments (OPDs) in 2018, while about 10 million suspected cases of the disease have been reported in 2017.
She said that since 2000, the under-five mortality rate for malaria fell by 93.1% from 6 198 in 2000 to 428 in 2018.
To make the point clear, she said: "In 2012, we recorded eight malaria deaths each day and one person per malaria death each day in 2018".
Challenges and way forward
Dr. Malm attributed the progress made to the various control interventions implemented throughout the country, including intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy, indoor spraying of residual areas in some districts, distribution to the community, and 39; nationwide insecticide-treated bed nets and small-scale larval treatments.
Dr Malm mentioned the problems facing the malaria control program and raised some issues, such as non-compliance with the diagnostic protocol, non-compliance with treatment and insufficient funds for control and control of malaria. 39, elimination of malaria.
Dr Malm said that Ghana would be one of three countries selected for a pilot malaria vaccine program and that it was planned to become a complementary malaria control tool in Ghana.
The pilot program, which is expected to last three years, is expected to begin next month.
She said between 120,000 and 150,000 children would be vaccinated with the Mosquirix ™ vaccine, which works against Plasmodium falciparum, known worldwide as the most deadly and widespread malaria parasite in Africa.
More support needed
In his address, Dr. Badu Sarkodie, Director of the Public Health Division of the Ghana Health Service, said that malaria remains one of the major health problems in the country and in many other parts of the country. world.
It is for this reason that World Malaria Day was created to project the efforts, progress and challenges encountered in implementing malaria control interventions and to unify various initiatives in the global context. mutation.
With regard to funding the fight against the disease, Dr. Sarkodie said that the malaria control program needed sustainable funds to fight malaria because donor funding, which largely supported the program, was declining. .
He urged donor agencies and private institutions to assist the program by supporting it.
Dr. Sarkodie said that collective efforts were needed to control malaria and ultimately eliminate the disease from the country and called on the media to support the fight through the dissemination of information.
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