The clinical director of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua (ERHK) Dr. Foster Amponsah has urged the public to conduct malaria tests before taking an anti-malaria drug.
According to him, more often than not, people just walk into pharmacy shops to buy malaria drugs to cure a suspected malaria sickness which later when tested turns out not to be malaria, this he said contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance in the body.
Dr. Foster Amponsah cautioned that when such practices persist and antimicrobial resistance develops, the body begins to resist and fight against even prescribed drugs that are supposed to heal certain sicknesses and diseases in the body.
He said this when Indian based pharmaceutical company known as Bliss GVS Pharma Limited, the world’s largest manufacturer of suppositories and pessaries donated malaria medications, syringes, and suppositories worth Ghc30,000 to the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua.
Receiving the medical supplies, Dr. Foster Amponsah, said “Ghana as a whole is an endemic area in malaria and an Eastern region is also a place where the prevalence is very high even though we’ve been able to achieve some reduction in the prevalence rate it’s still high “.
“Since 1869 that malaria parasite was discovered, we still battle with it and this has been one of the longest battles for humanity and Ghana is doing very in the fight against malaria and as you are aware the vaccines are being loaded into the country” he explained.
He added that even though malaria-related cases are still high at OPDs, death related to malaria has decreased.
He urged that people should take a keen interest to adopt and practice malaria preventive measures such as sleeping under treated mosquito nets, the uses of the insecticide spray, and trying as much as possible to abstain from exposing the body during the night.
Sandra Awuah, a medical representative for Bliss GVS in the Eastern region said even though malaria over the world is increasing but covid-19 pandemic has taken the attention of stakeholders, ” therefore, Bliss GVS counts it as important to remind and educate people on the existence of malaria and the need to continue to take the necessary preventive measures to lower the high rate of malaria cases in Ghana”
She said the company has donated about Ghc8,000 worth of drugs to some schools in the Eastern region.
According to her, the donation of malaria drugs and the education campaign to the public is in tangent with plans and measures put in place by Bliss GVS company to mark this year’s world malaria day next month April.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah