Waste management giant, Zoomlion Ghana Limited in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has trained over 130 environmental and health professionals to embark of a mass mosquito larvae spraying exercise to substantially reduce mosquito breeding in the region.
Ghana has decided to use the approach of larvaeciding to destroy the larvae of all kinds of mosquitos in order for them not to grow and multiply.
A Senior Entomologist at the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, Dr Samuel Dadzie underscored during the training the importance of larvaeciding in Ghana’s fight against mosquito breeding to help eliminate malaria.
He said, the program selected key players in the sector such as Zoomlion District/Municipal Managers, District/ Municipal Environmental Health Officers, District/Municipal Malaria Focal Persons, NAMCOP Spraying Gang Leaders and Community Sprayers for the training on scientific methods to control the breeding of mosquitos across the nation.
Dr Dadzie was optimistic that the calibre of persons on the program will impact positively on the control of mosquito breeding at the community level.
Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gaskpey, Social and Behaviour Change Communications Specialist of the National Malaria Control Program of the Ghana Health Service urged the participants to consider the key players in the community such as traditional, religious, and opinions leaders among others to channel their messages through for the consumption of the populace.
He said consideration must also be taken of the people’s demography for them to be able to deliver the message more effectively.
Dr Silas Majambere, Director of Scientific Operations of the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) is lead consultant of the programme.
He hinted that the world was now aware that larvaeciding is one of the most effective malaria control interventions to reduce mosquito breeding, especially in Africa.
He took participants through the process of mapping among others.
In an interview with some of the participants, they believe because of the rigorous nature of the training the trickling effect will be positive in Ghana’s efforts to reduce the spread of mosquitos.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
