GHS distributes mosquito nets to schoolchildren, targets 1.5 million children under SMC

Manager of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr Hilarius Abiwu, said the school-based distribution targeted selected classes because children also received mosquito nets during routine immunisation at about 18 months, with replacement nets provided at key stages of their education.

He said the SMC campaign remained limited to seven regions because they experience highly seasonal malaria transmission, making the intervention most effective there.

School Health Education Programme Coordinator at the Ghana Education Service, Madam Theresa Oppong, said malaria continued to affect school attendance and learning outcomes, making the intervention critical to improving children’s health and education.