In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, GOSANET Foundation in partnership with the Adaklu District Health Directorate with support from Global Fund has adopted the use of community information centers and mobile van announcements to raise awareness on malaria in the Adaklu District.

Eighteen (18) communities including; Adaklu Torda, Kpodzi, Goefe, Agblefe, Helekpe, Abuadi, Tsrefe, and Waya were educated on malaria prevention and treatment with an emphasis on pregnant women and children below five years.

Health Promotion Officer, Madam Linda Buatsi noted that malaria is preventable and treatable, yet remains the most prevalent recorded cases in Out Patient Departments of most health care centers, hence, the need to improve communities’ knowledge on malaria.

She said one of their strategies is to the scale-up community-based treatment of malaria in all districts through the home base care of malaria targeting children under five years living in rural areas and areas with limited access.

She highlighted the use of mosquito coils and spray, cleaning gutters, and the use of mosquito net as some means of preventing malaria.

She also encourages pregnant women in the various communities to sleep under the treated mosquito net and also visit ante-natal clinics regularly to receive intermittent preventive treatment to avoid malaria infection.

On his part, Executive Director, GOSANET Foundation, Mr. Samuel Yao Atidzah says self-medication with anti-malaria drugs is a common practice in most rural communities.

He said some common reasons for self-medication were the inability to pay for health care charges, long distance to health facilities, and the freedom to choose the preferred drugs.

He, therefore, advise communities not to self-medicate but rather get tested first before treating malaria in order to avoid side effects.

Touching on COVID-19, Mr. Samuel Yao Atidzah implores the various communities to act in accordance with all directives outlined by the government in order contain the disease.

He mentioned the use of face masks, regular washing of hands with soap under running water, social distancing, the use of hand sanitizers, and personal hygiene as some safety measures to prevent COVID-19 infection. 

GOSANET Foundation and Adaklu District Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service on 17^th and 23rd July 2020 also took the sensitization on malaria and COVID-19 to Adaklu local market and the animal market where traders come from far and near to buy cows for their consumption.