By Rachel Kakraba
The National Malaria Elimination Programme will soon launch a document spelling out strategies to achieve a malaria-free Ghana.
The policy, which will be launched by President Akufo-Addo, has already been endorsed by the parliamentary Select Committee on Health.
A medical doctor, Kofi Adomako, with the National Malaria Elimination Programme, disclosed this during a webinar with members of the National Malaria Coalition.
It was organised by the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme.
AMMREN is a Pan-African media advocacy group of journalists and scientists working together to rid the world of malaria.
Dr. Adomako said the new target of eliminating malaria in Ghana is what informed the name change from the National Malaria Control Programme to the National Elimination Programme.
“Now we don’t want to think about control and even pre-elimination we want to go straight to elimination.”
He added, “Because of this elimination agenda a number of things have been done. Political will is so important, so we went to parliament, and I am so happy they are on board. We are very grateful to parliament for the commitment toward the elimination agenda. That’s why we have changed our name from NMCP to NMEP. The C control has been changed to E elimination. We are serious!”
Dr. Adomako called for collaboration among all stakeholders in Ghana to eliminate malaria.
“This is the time to deliver the zero-malaria agenda. We will make sure that Ghana is free from Malaria.”