DFID supports Ghana to fight malaria

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The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in Western Region today received 1,350,000 long lasting insecticide nets (LLINs) from the UK government and UNICEF. Along with 1,000,000 nets handed over to GHS in the Central Region, these bed nets are expected to reach over 4.7 million people including 940,000 children under the age of 5.

Ms Sally Taylor, the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID) Country Director for Ghana, said, “the UK government is committed to support the Government of Ghana in its fight against malaria which takes the lives of so many children below the age of five.”

DFID, UNICEF and the Ghana Health Service are partnering to ensure that Ghana’s target of reducing the burden of malaria by 75% by 2015 is achieved. Using funds from DFID, UNICEF has purchased 2,350,000 bed nets, which will be distributed by the Ghana Health Service to beneficiaries in July. Over 800,000 families in the Western and Central regions will benefit from the supply of these nets.

Malaria remains the main cause of mortality and morbidity of children under five in Ghana. It is expected that the most deprived families will receive a bed net, as they are distributed free of charge. Dr. Iyabode Olusanmi, the UNICEF Representative for Ghana, said, “It is frustrating that children continue to die from preventable and treatable diseases such as malaria when bed nets have been shown to be effective in preventing malaria. We must make every effort to reach the most deprived in the remotest corners of the region.”

The significance of these nets is clear, according to Dr. Constance Bart-Plange, Head of the National Malaria programme, who explained that, “through the innovative ‘hang-up’ campaign, more and more people are sleeping in the LLIN’s. This, no doubt, will lead to drastic reduction in malaria illnesses.Thus, more than 20,000 children in Ghana, will be saved over the three year lifespan of the bed nets.”

More information
The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK government’s fight against world poverty. UKaid is the logo used to demonstrate how the UK government’s development work is improving the lives of the world’s poorest people.
UNICEF is the world's leading organisation protecting the rights of children and young people. Around the world, children's rights are being denied on a daily basis, including in emergencies such as natural disasters and conflict. UNICEF is working in over 190 countries to protect children's right to be educated, to be healthy, to a childhood, to be treated fairly and to be heard. We work with local communities, partners and governments to ensure these rights are upheld.
Malaria has been identified as the leading cause of illness and deaths for children under five years of age in Ghana. It accounted for 22% of under-five deaths and 9% of maternal deaths in 2007. The Ministry of Health (MOH) estimates that out of the 3 million cases of suspected malaria reported each year in public health facilities, over 900,000 are children under the age of five.
To help Ghana tackle this stark problem, the UK government has provided £10 million to UNICEF for the procurement and distribution of 2.35 million long lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLINs). These will be distributed during the Universal Access to Bed Nets Campaign scheduled for July 2011. This support is aimed at assisting the country reach its goal of reducing the burden of malaria by 75% by 2015. Through this funding an estimated 4.7 million people, of which 940,000 are expected to be children under 5 years of age, will have access to the treated bed nets.
For further information, please contact or visit http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ghana and http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ghana.html

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