Nana Boro fights Malaria

Ian and Nana Boro

Hip-life music artiste, Nana Boro, has been unveiled as a Malaria Campaign Icon in a renewed fight against the Malaria scourge.

Statistics show that Malaria kills more children than any other disease in Ghana. Malaria is also a leading cause of miscarriage and stillbirths in pregnant women.

According to the National Malaria Control Programme, “During 2009, a person in Ghana died from malaria about every 3 hours. This means about 3,000 people died of malaria in Ghana that year alone, most of them children.”

It said “Severe malaria is also a major cause of permanent brain damage and physical disability. One of the disorders severe malaria can cause is epilepsy, a permanent brain disorder that causes convulsions, memory loss and loss of consciousness. While not all cases of epilepsy are caused by severe malaria, many are in countries with a heavy malaria burden, such as Ghana.”

A simple case of malaria can quickly turn into severe malaria, particularly among very young children, if not treated quickly (within 24 hours) and completely with the recommended malaria medicines. Malaria, health authorities say, can make anyone very sick, but children and pregnant women are most severely affected.

The campaign has been sponsored by the USAID, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, the John-Hopkins University and Prompt Ghana. It encourages Ghanaians to use treated mosquito nets at all times.

At the unveiling ceremony at Citizen Kofi in Accra, Nana Boro asked Ghanaians to disabuse their minds of perceptions that it's outlandish to sleep under a mosquito net.

He said the impact of the disease on the nation was very devastating as it was a major resource drain on the nation's coffers. According to him, it was a national duty to help minimize the effects of Malaria on especially children.

The Mosquito nets imported into the country, for the campaign which are used throughout the country are the Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Net (LLIN).

Mosquito nets critical


Treated nets, according to the partners, provide double protection: they prevent the mosquito from landing on you and the insecticide in it repels or kills the mosquitoes when they land on the net.

The insecticide in the net is safe. [The Ministry of Health in Ghana and the World Health Organization have approved it.] It is made especially to kill mosquitoes and other insects. The insecticide has no effects on humans. And it does not affect a man's or a woman's fertility.

There are times when you might see fewer mosquitoes around (like the dry season), but the mosquitoes with malaria never disappear completely. It is important to still use the nets even at these times.

Thanks to the Ghana Health Service and Development Partners for helping to bring treated nets to the people of Ghana.

Now it is up to each of us to always sleep under a treated net, and protect ourselves from malaria.

After all, without good health you cannot enjoy your Good Life. Let's all come together and drive malaria away for Good Life.

Ian Tweedie, Chief of Party for the John-Hopkins University, appealed to Ghanaians to take the use of mosquito nets seriously.

He said ten years ago, Malaria-related death figures were startling and that although significant successes had been chalked up in the fight against Malaria, more needed to be done.

Nana Boro's hit-song, Aha Yɛdɛ, is the theme for the campaign which the partners say will be waged aggressively.

Mini video documentaries are also to run on radio and television as part of the campaign.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana