Partners in health meet on roll back malaria

Dr Constance Marfo, Malaria Programme Manager of the Ghana's Ministry of Health, said on Wednesday that malaria accounts for 40 per cent of outpatient cases at health facilities and 25 per cent of under-five mortality in the country.

Speaking at a round table meeting in Accra to discuss the strategic plan and budget for the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) programme, she said RBM has therefore been initiated to facilitate reduction in the incidence of the disease by 50 per cent by 2010. The meeting, which was in preparation for the fourth Global Partnership forum was due to discuss and adopt an update of RBM action plan and national strategies and suggest themes for the conference.

"Malaria is more than a health issue as the in-activities of other sectors may increase or decrease the malaria disease burden", she said. Dr Marfo said malaria impacts adversely on productivity of all sectors of the economy and there is therefore the need to work together to reduce the social and economic impact of the disease.

She said the ministry has come out with a document, which seeks to establish an explicit and coherent framework of strategies to guide implementation and action by key stakeholders to achieve clearly defined malaria control targets. She mentioned improved case management, multiple prevention, research and improved partnerships as the main strategic components.

Dr George Amofa, Deputy Director of Public Health said RBM would focus on creating and sustaining partnership for malaria. "The objective for developing a partnership is to establish a social movement that is supported by a well co-ordinated national action by all stakeholders to roll back malaria", he added.

Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) who presided, called on non-governmental organisations and communities to participate in the RBM.