Health Service distributes 430,000 mosquito nets in Upper West

Almost 430,000 Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) are being distributed free of charge among residents of the Upper West Region to help reduces the incidence of malaria in the area.

A total of 800,000 people, who registered their names during the registration period, are expected to benefit from the distribution of the nets, hence, the slogan: “no coupon, no net”.

The distribution is being done by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with support from the Against Malaria Foundation and the Global Fund.

The 5th – 10th September exercise saw health personnel located at various distribution points in various communities distributing nets.

Mr Samuel Oppong, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator of the National Malaria Control Programme, said registered households who for some reasons could not receive their nets would still have the opportunity to pick them nets at the health facility after the end of the exercise.

He said the nets were totally free and urged the public to report anybody who seeks to extort a bribe before giving the net, for appropriate action to be taken against the individual.

Mr Oppong advised the public to place the nets in a shady place for 24 hours or more to prevent itching when they sleep under the net.

He said the nets have a life span of three years or 20 washes, meaning if one washes his or her net 20 times within a year, its potency would expire.

He urged that beneficiaries wash the nets with mild soap whenever the need arose.

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