Edmond Gyebi
2 May 2008
Tamale — The Ghana Health Service is to institute a mechanism, known as Indoor Residual Spraying, in the Northern Region, to get rid of female anopheles mosquitoes, which are the main cause of malaria.
Indoor Residual Spraying, according to health officials, was very costly, but with the support from President George Bush's recent US$17 million grant to combat the disease in Ghana, the cost of spraying homes would not be a problem.
This was revealed to journalists, in Tamale recently, at the Northern Regional Health Directorate, in order to get the public well-informed about the initiative, which was yet to be launched.
The Indoor Residual Spray was a process of applying long-lasting insecticides onto the walls of rooms, ceilings and other areas.
Health experts say the residual lasts 3 to 6 months, and was not dangerous to human health. It kills mosquitoes on contact, and reduces malaria by about 70%.
For the year 2008, five districts, including Tolon-Kumbungu, Savelugu-Nanton, Karaga, Gushiegu and West Mamprusi, have been targeted, and about US$2.7 million out of the US$17 million, was to be spent on the spraying exercise.
The Northern Region was targeted, because of the high prevalence of malaria cases, due to its bad seasonal rainfall pattern.
It is estimated that, about GH¢664.6 million, is spent annually, to fight malaria in Ghana, an amount which is twice the budget of the Ministry Health.
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