A total of 66,269 pregnant women were tested Positve of Malaria in the Ashanti Region in 2020, compared to a little over 63,000 in 2019, representing 5% increase.
The Ashanti Region also recorded 14% drop in Malaria cases in 2020 conpared to 2019.
According to Deputy Director of Public Health in the Region, Dr.Rockson Agyei, children under five years mortality increased by 4% in 2020 as compare to 0.07% in 2019 but cases of Malaria among children decreased by 16%.
He attributed the increase to suspended services of Health care in most facilities in the Region when the Pandemic COVID-19 arrived in Ghana in 2020 and said 300 health workers have been trained to support Malaria campaign.
The 2021 World Malaria Day (WMD) was observed yesterday, Sunday, 25th April 2021 by the National Malaria Control Programme to stress the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control of the disease. The day also highlights successes in the fight against malaria, and individual responsibilities to end malaria and ensure a malaria-free world.
Malaria is a potential life-threatening mosquito-borne blood disease caused by a plasmodium parasite and is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, which sees the parasite multiplying in the host’s liver before infecting and destroying the red blood cell.
Symptoms of malaria include; fever and chills, colds with shivering, headache, impaired consciousness, prostration or adopting a prone position, multiple convulsions, deep breathing, respiratory distress and abnormal bleeding.
In 2020 Ghana recorded about 5 million confirmed malaria cases with over 10 million suspected cases.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Kofi Atakora
