The Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Health Directorate in the Greater Accra Region has unveiled a strategic plan to eliminate malaria within the municipality by 2030, emphasizing community participation and preventive measures.
Dr. Esther Priscilla Biamah Danquah, the Municipal Director of Health Services, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the initiative is part of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, which targets all 21 health districts in Greater Accra for a coordinated fight against the disease.
As part of the efforts, the directorate has distributed treated mosquito nets to households, schools, and pregnant women, while also implementing Larvae Source Management (LSM) in communities where stagnant water and open drains serve as mosquito breeding sites.
Dr. Danquah urged residents, particularly pregnant and lactating women, to take personal precautions against mosquito bites and to seek medical attention at health facilities instead of self-medicating when malaria symptoms appear.
She highlighted the importance of testing, noting that about 98 percent of suspected malaria cases in the municipality are tested before treatment, with roughly 20 percent confirmed positive. Areas such as Apolonia and Oyibi were identified as malaria hotspots requiring heightened attention.
The director cautioned that current weather conditions are favorable for mosquito breeding and urged households to remain vigilant. She stressed that the municipality’s approach—“test, treat, and track”—is designed to protect communities while moving steadily toward malaria eradication.
