Claims mosquito nets distributed to primary schools contain harmful chemicals false — GHS

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has rejected claims circulating on social media that insecticide-treated nets being distributed to primary school children contain dangerous chemicals that pose a threat to human health.

According to the service, the allegations are false and unsupported by scientific evidence, urging parents and the public not to be alarmed by the claims.

"We wish to state categorically that these claims are false, misleading, and without any scientific or regulatory basis. The Ghana Health Service urges the public not to be alarmed," the service said in a statement issued on Friday, June 26.

The GHS explained that the nets being distributed are Interceptor® G2 long-lasting insecticidal nets approved by the World Health Organization and Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority.

According to the service, the nets contain chlorfenapyr and alpha-cypermethrin, two insecticidal compounds that have been used in public health programmes around the world for many years.

The statement indicated that the products underwent extensive safety testing before receiving approval for use, including assessments involving children, pregnant women and infants.

The GHS further noted that the compounds have extremely low vapour pressure and do not become airborne during use.

"Insecticide-treated nets have been used across Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa for several decades, and across all that time, not one documented case of respiratory illness has ever been linked to sleeping under a properly used ITN," the statement added.

The service urged parents and caregivers not to discard, reject or refuse the nets, stressing that malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among children in Ghana.

It advised households to air newly received nets in a shaded and well-ventilated area for up to 48 hours before first use to eliminate any mild smell associated with new nets.