Juaso (Ash), Nov 1, GNA - Davascom Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has held a day's training workshop for 30 community health volunteers on effective prevention of malaria at Juaso in the Asante-Akim South District. The workshop, which formed part of a five-year community malaria intervention dubbed: "Mobilising Against Malaria," was funded by the Ghana Social Marketing Foundation (GSMF) and Family Health International (FHI).

It sought to among other things create awareness of malaria symptoms and also promote prompt and appropriate treatment seeking behaviour among pregnant women, care givers, patients and children. Participants were taken through the causes, effects and prevention of the disease and also sensitized on how best they could impart the knowledge acquired to people in their respective communities. Miss Antoinette Asamoah, a health worker at the Juaso District Hospital, said the fight against malaria and other related diseases was in line with the principles of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) hence it was a challenge to all stakeholders. She noted that children below the age of five and pregnant women were the most vulnerable to the disease and urged the participants to stress on the two target groups. Miss Asamoah further cautioned against the reliance on chemical sellers for the treatment of the disease, saying such practice could complicate their ailment. She, therefore, stressed the need for pregnant women and children to always seek treatment at health facilities where thorough diagnosis could be done to ensure accurate drug prescription. Mr John Arko-Tetteh, Executive Director of Devascom Foundation, said malaria over the years had been the top cause of Out-Patient Department attendance at the Juaso District Hospital and called on stakeholders to join the fight against the disease. He urged the participants to be good ambassadors of the programme by sensitizing people in their communities on the dangers of the disease. 1 Nov. 08