GHS scales up school net distribution, SMC to accelerate malaria elimination

Dr Hilarius Abiwu, Manager of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, 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.

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

He said Ghana had shifted from malaria control to malaria elimination through a combination of preventive measures, including insecticide-treated nets, malaria vaccination, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy, indoor residual spraying, early diagnosis and effective treatment.