-Health Ministry launches anti Malaria campaign
By Tokpa Tarnue- tarnue82@gmail.com
Voinjama, Liberia- In the wake of the launch of an anti-Malaria campaign in Libeeria’s northwestern Lofa County, it has been disclosed that 18 pregnant women died there during the last quarter.
This was disclosed at the town hall meeting in the provincial capital, Voinjama as the launch of the anti-Malaria campaign got underway, something that has caught the attention of the central health ministry.
The exact causes of all 18 deaths were not stated.
But at the town hall meeting in Voinjama on February 6, 2019, participants outlined several factors responsible for the increase in Malaria cases in the county. They say it ranges from refusal of some pregnant women to regularly visit health centers for treatment, using of mosquito nets for other purposes instill of sleeping as expected and the failure of some husbands and other care takers to assist theses pregnant women in most communities seek medications.
Malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Liberia, with 38% of outpatient attendance and 42% of inpatient deaths attributable to malaria. Approximately 79% of the total cases of malaria diagnosed were treated with artemisinin-based combination therapy.
The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Lofa County Health Team embarked on this campaign aimed at preventing the disease, which is on the increase.
Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that infects a type of mosquito which feeds on humans. Once an infected mosquito bites a human, the parasites multiply in the host’s liver before infecting and destroying their red blood cells. People who get malaria are usually very sick with symptoms such as high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness and it is transmitted to humans through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito.
The campaign is targeting the six health districts of the county, according to the Behavior Change Communication Director for the national malaria control program at the Health Ministry, Daniel Souma.
He said key activity during the campaign is to hold town hall meetings with various influential stakeholders within the six health districts of the county on causes of increase in malarial cases that mostly results to material deaths and how they as stakeholders can help in buttressed the efforts of central government in reducing material and newborn deaths across the county.
Others are the far distances to get to some health centers and the home delivery being carried out by some TTMs in communities among others.
The stakeholders however, expressed disappointment over the failure of both health authorities and the local government structure to begin the implementation of a major policy document adopted by stakeholders of the county which calls for no home delivery in Lofa.
The policy document was developed and signed on January 20, 2018 during the First ever Maternal and Newborn Health Conference held in Lofa County.
The resolution at the time clearly outlined the roles and responsibilities of local county authorities, civil society organizations, Lofa County Health Team, Health workers, Health facilities and partners, community leaders as well as TTMs/TBAs in the fight to put an end to martial and newborn deaths in the county.
The resolution according to our correspondent, establish penalties for violators of the policy.
Our recent investigation however revealed that all district commissioners who attended the conference signed the policy with the exception of the then County Superintendent, which is said to be hindering the implementation of the document.