After nationwide hang-up exercise…

C/R HAS 46,000

MOSQUITO NETS

DEFICIT

STORY: FROM MAGDALENE SEY, CAPE COAST, C/R

The Central Region still has a huge mosquito nets deficit of 46,000 after the nationwide distribution and hang-up campaign in December last year.

According to the regional health directorate, most districts in the region were not able to cover and distribute the total number of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLITNs) hence the huge deficit.

This was disclosed by the regional Biologist and Malaria Coordinator, Mr. Moses B Asante, on Tuesday during a media briefing on the outcome of the hang-up campaign by the Central Regional Health Directorate in Cape Coast.

He disclosed that negotiations with donor agencies are on-going to enable his outfit cover the deficit to ensure total coverage in the various districts.

Mr. Asante revealed that the region took delivery of 1,000,133 pieces of LLITN in 2010 which was used for the exercise.

He went on to affirm that malaria was the leading cause of deaths in the region hence the need for the introduction of the LLITNs.

He further revealed that the nets which were given out are treated with chemicals that can last for three or three years to help reduce the vector population and stop people from dying from malaria.

The malaria coordinator added that it is his outfit’s goal to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 75% by 2015 hence their enthusiasm.

Mr. Asante pointed out that his outfit has over the years been distributing the nets to people but thought it wise to go door to door this time round in order to reach out to all.

He said 133 health staff were trained on the hang-up campaign while 10,800 volunteers were trained for the hang-up exercise.

He gave the breakdown of the total number of nets distributed to the various districts in the region as 51,423 for the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) district; 36,701 for Agona West, 32,877 for Agona East, and; 56, 895 for Assin North.

He continued that the Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira (THLD) District had 91,570 nets, Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam (AEE), 61,059, Mfantsiman 106,312, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) 70, 332, Upper Denkyira  West, 30,000, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB), 49, 036 and Awutu  Senya 114,700.

He mentioned the rest as Gomoa West, 59, 863, Gomoa East, 55, 820, Cape Coast, 53, 544, Effutu, 28,459, Assin South, 48, 897 and Upper Denkyira West 52,645.

Mr. Asante indicated that so far reports from nine districts shows the region‘s coverage at 94.1% and described the hang-up campaign as successful in the region.

He however mentioned some of the challenges as shortage of LLITNs, some of the volunteers giving out the nets instead of  hanging them, some volunteers extorting money from people before giving out the nets and delay  in transporting  logistics from the regional level to the district level  among others.

He noted that although the exercise is over, there will still be continuous public education on the use of the nets to ensure that they achieve their goal.

The chairman for the occasion, Mr. Peter Kyeremanteng, who is the deputy Director in Charge of Pharmaceutical Services in the region, observed that malaria has become the major cause of OPD attendance in the region and that the hang-up campaign was one of the interventions to avert malaria-related deaths.