Statistics from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) indicate that a total of 5.7 million malaria cases with 275 deaths were recorded in the country in the year 2021.
Out of the number, children below five years accounted for approximately 1.6 million of the total number of malaria cases with 125 deaths.
This was revealed by the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, at the launch of the expansion of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme in Sunyani.
The Minister emphasized the importance of the program due to the significant economic burden malaria places on the country, stressing that more needs to be done to combat the disease.
“5.7 million malaria cases were recorded in the year 2021 out of which 275 deaths were recorded which means that we still have a lot to do when it comes to the fight against malaria”.
He charged all caregivers and parents to take full advantage of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme by availing their eligible children to the Child Health and Nutrition clinics known as Child Welfare Clinics to be vaccinated against this deadly childhood disease.
“Malaria is a deadly disease so all caregivers and parents should try and send their children to CWCs to be vaccinated against malaria”.
The malaria vaccine was introduced into Ghana’s routine vaccination programme in May 2019 for children under 2 years to protect and avert severe malaria-related illnesses and death among children living in highly endemic Regions and Districts.
The malaria vaccine which is safe, effective, and well tolerated is given to children in four doses, starting from six months, then seven months, nine months, and 18 months.
Phase 1 of the exercise was piloted in 42 districts of seven regions; Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, Central, Oti Upper East, and Volta Regions.
Phase 2 is the expansion to the additional 51 Districts as a continuation of the pilot implementation.
Source: Ghanaweb