1.3 million LLINs To Fight Malaria In Northern Region

An estimated 1.3 million Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) are to be distributed among thousands of households in the Northern Region of Ghana as part of efforts by the government and its global partners to eradicate the spread of malaria.

Addressing journalists at a media briefing in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, Dr. Felicia Amoa-Sakyi, Programmes Officer of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), said demographic counting which began on 17^th July and completed on 19^th July, had paved the way for the distribution of free LLINs in the whole region.

According to her, about 145,000 LLINs (80% of the overall total) had so far been made available to the Tamale Metropolitan Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to be distributed to each household whilst the remaining 20% would be supplied later.

Ghana has adopted the universal coverage policy of LLINs distribution. This approach ensures that one LLIN is given to every two people in a household. Therefore, this distribution would target the entire household including pregnant women and children under five (5). This, according to officials of the Northern Regional Health Directorate of GHS was to ensure that all people at risk of malaria were targeted to reduce overall disease transmission.

What are LLINs?

LLINs are a type of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) which do not need to be re-treated if handled with care. LLINs are factory treated mosquito nets made with netting material that had insecticide incorporated within or bound around the fibers. The insecticide on the net lasts for the lifetime of the net (usually 3years or after 20 washes).

According to health experts, LLINs protect all populations at risk from malaria; protect the pregnant woman and her unborn baby from malaria; protects the pregnant woman from anaemia as well as ensure that the unborn child is not born too small or sickly, since the mother’s use of a LLIN helps prevent her and her child from malaria. 

Mother and child sleeping under treated net

Aside protecting one against mosquito bites, LLINs could sometimes kill other domestic pests such as fleas, lice, bedbugs and cockroaches that come into contact with the net. Moreover, yellow fever is another dangerous disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes, and LLINs could therefore help protect one from getting yellow fever and other mosquito-borne illnesses.

Any side effects for using LLINs?

Contrary to claims that LLINs are hazardous to human health, the insecticide used for ITNs and LLINs are approved to be safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ghana’s Ministry of Health.

Side effects from LLINs are rare and not serious. They will only last for a short while if they do occur. Common side effects such as sneezing, sore eyes and itching skin may come from freshly opened packages. New nets should therefore be aired for a day or two to avoid these side effects. Airing it would allow any excess build up of insecticide to disperse.

How to care for LLINs

The net fabric of LLIN can get dirty, tear or burn like any cloth. Avoid closeness to open fire such as candles; do not use strong detergents or bleach as this would cause some of the insecticide to come off; the insecticide in the net only lasts for twenty (20) washes and must not be over washed.

Also, after washing the net should be dried in the shade (out of direct sunlight) and if holes appear due to wear and tear, it should be sewn as any fabric. This will ensure that the net lasts up to the intended lifetime.

Female anopheles mosquito

Malaria is spread by the female anopheles mosquito which bites during the night. The disease is the leading cause of illness among all other ailments in Ghana. In Ghana, the statistics as supplied by the NMCP are no less staggering. Malaria causes about 8,200 cases daily and 3,000,000 illnesses every year with over 3000 deaths in 2010. As high mortality as this is, the NMCP is quick to point out that this represents a steady drop from the 40, 000 deaths reported ten years ago. The most vulnerable groups remain children under five years of age, pregnant women and non-immunes.

Mr. Maurice Ocquaye, Head of Social Mobilisation of Promoting Malaria Prevention and Treatment Ghana (ProMPT-Ghana), also made a call to the general public to watch out for any volunteer who would sell the net to them.

According to him, the nets were not for sale, because they were sponsored by the American government and other donors, and were to be given out for free to everybody who registered. “People have been arrested in the past and prosecuted for selling the nets. So anyone who sells them commits a serious offence”, he admonished.

Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, the distribution of the Long Lasting Insecticide Nets had began on the 25^th of July and expected to end on 7^th August 2012. This exercise would take place throughout all the twenty Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the Northern Region including newly created ones.