Over 215,000 children in the Upper East region are targeted to benefit from the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention exercise which is geared towards preventing malaria in children from 3 to 59 months.
The exercise would commence on August 15 to 20 and is expected to reach out to a total number of 215, 845 children in the upper east region using Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) and Amodiaquine.
Addressing media personnel and some concerned stakeholders in Health in Bolgatanga, Tuesday, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Kofi Issah said the exercise falls under the general country’s strategy of reducing the burden of malaria in children under 5 who are part of the vulnerable population.
The benefits of investing in these children he noted are enormous and that includes keeping them healthy and contributing to house hold increased productivity among other things.
According to him, a full course of treatment will be able to get enough dose of the drug in the blood stream of the children adding that these months being the highest malaria transmission season, the drug will protect them from the parasite.
Dr. Kofi Issah said a survey which was conducted revealed that 44% of children aged between 6 and 59 months in the Upper West and East regions were found to have the malaria parasite in their blood stream as compared to other regions adding that “we are the second region after the Upper West region, our sister region which has started its. We are not saying that the other regions don’t have malaria but then where the burden is highest that is where I think the Ghana Health Service and the government of Ghana will actually target its resources, if they reduce the burden it will actually go to benefit the whole country.”
While commending the health workers who carried out the Men A vaccination exercise for their commitment and hard work, he urged community members to take advantage of the opportunity and get their children vaccinated.
He also cautioned parents to report any reaction in children to the nearest health center for the necessary attention.
By: Adugbire Cletus | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
