GHS moves to review anti-malaria drug policy

Accra, Jan 28, GNA- The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has initiated steps to review the anti-malaria drug policy to take care of chloroquine resistance currently estimated between six and 26 per cent. Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Director General of the Service, said the Service had also worked at increasing the use of beds treated with insecticides among children below five years as well as the number of women on appropriate chemo-prophylaxis.

Prof. Akosa was speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday on the successes and challenges of the Service in its first year of operations, and to announce the programme for the celebration of the first year of the Service.

The celebration, on the theme, "Eat Well, Stay Healthy and Live Longer", would be held at the district level from February 2-8, at the regional level from February 9-15 and March 8-14 at the national level. Using the media, the celebration would highlight negative effects of bad eating habits, associated dangers and educate the people on the need for regular physical activity to avoid epidemics of non-communicable diseases.

The GHS, established by an Act of Parliament, in 1996, with focus on the provision of quality primary and secondary health care delivery, excluding the Teaching Hospitals was launched on February 4, 2003, Its objectives are to implement approved national policies for health delivery, increase access to good quality health services and manage prudently, resources available for the provision of health services.

Prof. Akosa said nearly 45 per cent of out-patient cases were due to malaria, and added that the goal of the Service was to reduce the current malaria cases and death by 50 per cent by the year 2010. The Director-General said the anti-malaria interventions were being implemented in 20 districts with support from the Global Fund. An insecticide Treated Material Voucher system was also being piloted in the Volta Region.

Professor Akosa said there was currently a stagnation in progress of the Service towards the eradication of the guinea worm disease and pointed out that the disease was currently persistent in districts that had poor supply of potable water.

He stressed that the eradication of guinea worm needed a collaborative approach, which must lay emphasis on the provision of potable water in guinea worm endemic areas.

Prof. Akosa said a recent study had shown that AIDS case fatality was 59.7 of all infectious and parasitic diseases, and from the experience of other countries, there would be increased demand for care in terms of drugs, beds and staff time due to an increase in opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, bacteria, pneumonia and septicaemia. He mentioned other opportunistic infections associated with AIDS as fungal meningitis and palliative care, which would require new HIV specific management and prevention.

Prof. Akosa said the average cost per head for treating opportunistic infection was approximately 50 dollars.

He said the GHS had focused on the establishment of voluntary counselling centres across the country to train counsellors to man the centres.

Prof. Akosa said with the passing of the National Health Insurance Law, the Service had taken steps to review its internal structures and systems to allow for a smooth take-off.

He however, said substantial work still needed to be done towards the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Professor Akosa, who is a pathologist, warned of a silent epidemic of obesity, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, as well as diabetes, gout, ostheoarthristis creeping on Ghanaians.

He said those diseases were already among the top ten causes of illnesses and death among adults in the country, and sounded a caution for Ghanaians to change their eating habits to the very affordable and available Ghanaian foods rich in fruits and vegetables.

"Eating Ghanaians foods does not mean you are poor. When we say vegetables, we are not talking about carrots and cabbages", the Director General said.

Professor Akosa appealed to the press to lend more support to the education programmes of the GHS.

He said that behavioural change could only be developed through continuous and well-researched information by trained and knowledgeable practitioners.

This should be supported with a communication strategy that present information and empower people to seek appropriate help and services that would minimise the risk of irresponsible living.