Despite the difficulty posed by a new type of mosquito found in Tuba and Dansoman in Accra, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) has assured that there is no need to be alarmed.
Last Thursday, Dr. Nana Yaw Peprah, the NMEP's deputy programme manager, told the Daily Graphic that the prevalence of malaria in the nation would not change if more environmental management practises were adopted by the general public and existing malaria control methods were followed.
Yes, we should be concerned since the persistent mosquito will increase the number of mosquitoes in the nation, increasing the risk of malaria. But all we need to do is make sure we manage the environment better, he said.
In a conversation about the newly discovered Anopheles Stephensi mosquito, Dr. Peprah advised that in the case that someone displayed malarial signs and symptoms, they should get tested and treated very away to avoid contracting the parasite and putting other community members at risk.
Stephens, Anopheles
The Anopheles Stephensi mosquito, a novel strain that transmits malaria, has been found in Tuba and Dansoman, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), which reported the finding through its surveillance system.
It is the first time the nation has discovered the type of mosquito that, according to Dr. Peprah, is typically not seen in West Africa but is prevalent in Asian nations.
He noted that the Anopheles Stephensi bred in a particularly clean environment and could not endure hot weather.
There are four mosquito species that Ghana is concerned about when it comes to malaria.
Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles melas, and Anopheles funestus were the ones named by Dr. Peprah.
"So, if you have a mosquito that is as hardy as the Anopheles, capable of reproducing in unkempt waterways and also surviving high circumstances, and Anopheles Stephensi also becomes a member of that mosquito population, it will grow the population," Because mosquitoes are what spread the parasite from one person to another, there is a possibility of an increase in malaria prevalence wherever there is a rise in mosquito population, he added.
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