The Savannah Regional Health Directorate is set to kick-start the elimination of malaria in the region with this year’s Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) anti-malarial drugs campaign. On Tuesday, July 8, the directorate engaged stakeholders to help with education on the exercise.
Speaking at the meeting, the Savannah Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. John Ekow Otoo, emphasized that the SMC campaign is crucial in eliminating malaria, particularly among children, who are the most vulnerable to the disease. He noted that the SMC campaign is one of the methods employed by the Ghana Health Service to reduce malaria-related morbidity and mortality among children aged 3 to 59 months.
Dr. Otoo charged stakeholders to help spread information about the exercise and encourage parents and caregivers to ensure their children take the doses. He stressed that stakeholders are vital in the society, leading the people and making a difference in what they say.
The Regional Director of Health Services expressed disappointment in the indiscriminate disposal of waste in Damongo, particularly the filthy and choked gutters and drainages. He mentioned that he has visited the West Gonja MCE to discuss measures to clean the filthy gutters.
The SMC campaign will start on July 9 and run until July 13, 2025. Children will need all 4 cycles of SMC anti-malaria medicine within the period of 4 months for better protection against malaria. Trained Health Volunteers will move from house-to-house to administer the SMC anti-malaria medicine to all children from 3 to 59 months.
The public is urged to continue sleeping under Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets (LLINs) every day and night and other preventive measures. Caregivers and parents should take their child to the nearest health facility for treatment if the child develops any side effects after taking the medication.
The engagement charged stakeholders to disseminate the information to all communities and caregivers of eligible children to enable the coverage of children aged 3 to 59 months
