Assembly members briefed on malaria research work

The Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) on Monday, August 18, 2008 held a meeting with Assembly members for the Kintampo North and South Districts. The aim of the meeting was to inform Assembly members about the malaria research that has been undertaken by the centre so far and the upcoming malaria studies.

The upcoming malaria studies are:

1. Determination of Baseline Malaria Epidemiology among a Birth Cohort of Children in the Middle Belt of Ghana for Malaria Interventions.
2. Establishment of Laboratory Reference Values for the Population of Kintampo North and South Districts in the Middle Belt of Ghana.
3. Severe malaria in children in the Kintampo district of Ghana.
4. Passive Case Detection of Malaria among children under five in Health Facilities in the Kintampo North and South Districts: Any Implications for Current Practices?
5. Phase III malaria vaccine study

Some of the studies will be done in selected communities of the two districts and the others in the Kintampo Municipal Hospital.

In an address, the Director of the centre, Dr.Seth Owusu-Agyei, stated that before a project is undertaken, a community sensitization exercise is usually organized to inform elders of the community and seek their consent.

Dr.Ruth Owusu gave an overview on the malaria research work done so far and the up coming ones. She highlighted some of the interesting findings from the studies carried out by the centre. They included:

•  Children less than five years on the average get seven (7) attacks of malaria in a year.
• Almost every day, residents in the Kintampo North and South districts get at least one bite of mosquito carrying the malaria parasite. This shows that the incidence of malaria in the district is very high.
• The study conducted on Artesunate amodiaquine indicated that the drug is effective for the treatment of malaria. It was recommended that community members should take it as recommended by the National Malaria Control Programme. Chloroquine should no longer be used.

Mr. Charles Zandoh also spoke about the Obaapa project. He said Obaapa vitamin A capsule distribution will end in the first week of October, 2008.However, the study women will be followed up until July or August 2009 by which time the project will come to an end.

Apart from the Assembly members, the District Coordinating Director for Kintampo South and Presiding Members for the two districts were present. The Assembly members suggested ways of making the collaboration between them and the centre more effective. The DCD for Kintampo South suggested that a study on hepatitis B should be undertaken because of its prevalence in the district.

After the meeting, participants were conducted round the centre and this tour took them to the computer centre and the clinical laboratory.

By: Kabio Casimir Donlebo; communications person, KHRC