First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has launched the Private Sector Malaria Prevention Project and Malaria Safe Initiative intended to encourage active private sector participation in efforts at eradicating incidents of Malaria in Ghana.
This initiative which is spearheaded by Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs together with Ghana National Malaria Control Programs is targeted at getting businesses in Ghana to make their working environment Malaria safe, their workers Malaria safe, and supporting communities in Ghana to be Malaria safe through creating awareness and championing Malaria free campaigns within their institutions and Ghana as a whole.
During the launch of the project on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, the First Lady expressed her delight at such an initiative noting that “the fight against Malaria is not only a passion for me but a responsibility I bear, not only as a mother but as a true citizen who cares for the health of all our people”.
She noted that Malaria as a disease has devastating consequences especially on pregnant women and children as well as the socio-economic developments of Ghana as a nation.
She said: “Malaria in Ghana accounted for about 48.5 % of under-five deaths in 2015, still remaining one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the country.”
The First Lady further observed that besides these negative effects on the general population, Malaria is also bad for business.
She indicated that a report by National Malaria Control Program shows Ghana lost about US$ 6.58 million to malaria in 2014 through employee absenteeism, increased health care spending, and decreased productivity.
The companies involved in this survey spent an average of 0.5% of their annual corporate returns on Malaria treatment alone.
The First Lady therefore admonished members of the private sector to be active participants in malaria prevention since “it is a sure way to support government in sustaining health and promoting wealth.”
She called on the Ghanaian business sector “to rise to the occasion and embrace the goals of the Ghana-UK Private Sector Malaria Prevention Project and its Malaria Safe Initiative.”
At the launch were representatives from companies including Volta River Estates, Ghana Rubber Estates, Blue Skies, Plot Enterprise, Wilmer Africa as well as The UK High Commissioner Mr. Jon Benjamin, Country Director of Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications Programs, Mr. Emmanuel Fiagbe, Manager of Ghana National Malaria Control Program Mrs. Constance Bant Plange, and Ghana’s Special Malaria Ambassador, Mr. Prince Kofi Amoabeng.
