Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Presidential Advisor on Health, has highlighted the significant progress made by the government in controlling and eliminating malaria over the years. He noted a substantial decrease in malaria-related deaths at health facilities, from 3,259 in 2011 to 147 in 2022, as well as a reduction in malaria parasite prevalence among children under five years, from 27% in 2011 to 8.6% in 2022.
These achievements were credited to the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Services, and various partners. Dr Nsiah-Asare also mentioned Ghana’s participation in rolling out the world’s first malaria vaccine to over 2.5 million children, in conjunction with routine vaccines, over the past three years.
He reassured participants that organizations like the World Health Organization were working to ensure an adequate vaccine supply to address the needs of children in high-risk malaria areas. The Science of Defeating Malaria leadership development course, hosted at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho, brought together around one hundred participants from 36 countries worldwide to enhance leadership skills and strategies for malaria eradication.
In collaboration with Harvard University in the United States and Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) of Senegal, this year’s course at UHAS aimed to equip participants with the necessary tools to combat malaria. Professor Lydia Aziato, Vice Chancellor of UHAS, expressed gratitude for Ghana’s selection as the course host and highlighted the institution’s dedication to training health professionals. UHAS was recognized as one of the 16 public sector institutions focusing on healthcare education across disciplines, further emphasizing the importance of such collaborative initiatives in the global fight against malaria.
Professor Evelyn Korkor Ansah, Director of the Center for Malaria Research at UHAS, indicated that the malaria leadership development course is designed to create a leadership framework that supports the strategic shift from malaria control to elimination and eventual global eradication. According to Professor Ansah, evolving and adapting the course curriculum to the changing needs of the global malaria community is essential for progress towards eradication.
Source: Orlando Daniel
