Accra — Deputy Minister of Health, Mrs. Gladys Norley Ashietey has emphasized the need for corporate bodies to join hands with government in mobilizing efforts and resources towards the total eradication of malaria in Ghana.

Addressing participants at the launch of the Ghana Malaria Advocacy Campaign in Accra last week, Mrs. Norley Ashietey said about 61% of under-five children admissions and 8% of pregnant women admitted in the country's health facilities are due to malaria.

"Most frightening however, is the fact that 18% of all under-five deaths are caused by malaria and 9% of maternal deaths are also caused by the disease", she revealed.

In view of this scenario, she said, "we are faced with the critical challenge of achieving the status of a nation in which malaria would no longer be a major cause of mortality and no longer a barrier to social and economic development and growth".

Mrs. Ashietey challenged corporate bodies to live up to their corporate social responsibilities by coming up with strong programs and adequate resources to support malaria control at their workplaces.

She said the current malaria problem is one that demands mobilization of support from all areas of public policy in order to facilitate appropriate decision making towards the achievement of a malaria-free Ghana.

Mrs. Ashietey acknowledged government's efforts at eradicating malaria in Ghana. She noted that government, through an Act of Parliament, ACT 445of 1993, prescribed the use of a percentage of the District Assemblies Common Fund for malaria control initiatives by the District Assemblies.

She mentioned a set of policies and guidelines that government has put in place for the implementation of malaria control programmes and activities all over the country. They include the National Drug Policy, the Integrated Malaria Vector Control Policy and the Malaria in Pregnancy Control Policy.

Mrs. Ashietey called on officials of the National Malaria Control Programme to ensure that the policies are well known by other stakeholders including the media.

The Deputy Health Minister acknowledged donor support that Ghana has received from the international community, with a special mention of the World Bank, WHO, UNICEF, DFID, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The Ghana Malaria Advocacy Campaign, dubbed "Voices for Malaria-free Future", is being implemented by the Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP), in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program and other partners.

Mr. Emmanuel Fiagbey Country Director of JHU/CCP said over 40 personalities including traditional leaders and some public figures have become voices for malaria-free future for Ghana. They would among other things promote knowledge of key concepts, techniques and practices in malaria advocacy.

The event was chaired by Nana Kuoro Kuri Buktie Limann IV, a member of Council of State and the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs.