In 2021, the Northern Region reported 45 malaria-related fatalities in total, which is fewer than 1% of all cases. 28 baby fatalities, or 0.12 percent, were reported in the statistics, compared to 17 adult deaths, or 0.09 percent. Additionally, 53 out of 94 percent of probable malaria cases in the area were confirmed.
At a stakeholder meeting about the implementation of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) in 2022, Francis Kpadonu, a representative of the Regional Health Directorate, disclosed these statistics.
The goal of the engagement was to raise public awareness in order to build on the advancements made the previous year. In comparison to the 32.67 percent registered in 2017, he said that 26.45 percent of patients reported having malaria cases at OPDs.
Among other measures that were carried out last year, he cited the distribution of insecticide treatment nets (ITNs) and intermittent preventative treatment (IPTs).
According to Francis Kpadonu, 84 percent of the people in the area had obtained ITNs. He continued by saying that throughout the program's execution, the SMC dosages were given to 493 529 eligible kids.
Ihsan Issaka, the national malaria control data manager, said that the SMC is being used in 7 areas across the nation. He said that the territories included the Oti and Bono regions, as well as the five northern regions. According to him, the places were chosen for deployment because to their specific rain patterns.
He claims that although the southern sector has protracted rain patterns, the SMC can be completed in 3 to 4 months during the wet season, which is why it was implemented in these 7 regions.
He said that youngsters between the ages of 3 and 59 months receive the SMC, and that the dosages are 90% effective He claimed that the SMC is given every hour for three days in a row, motivating parents to have their kids immunised. Ihsan Issaka made it clear that the SMC is not recommended for kids who have underlying illnesses, such as allergies. Some of the difficulties the directorate encountered when implementing the SMC were described by the manager.
He talked about how moms are reluctant to disclose to medical professionals the underlying illnesses of their children.
Mr. Issaka said that some moms continue to disobey the guidelines despite being guided through the dosage administration process, endangering their infants further.
Abdulai Abdul-Aziz Yelsuma, the Vector Control Officer for Zoomlion Ghana Limited's Northern Region, stated that Zoomlion is assisting the directorate with additional interventions to help reduce malaria cases.