The Bono Regional Health Promotions Officer of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Nana Ama Gyankomah Asirifi, has disclosed that the regional Health Directorate has commenced the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs) to various households, as a strategy to reduce malaria in the region.

Speaking in an interview at the Bono regional town of Sunyani, Bono Regional Health Promotions Officer explained that the free distribution exercise which started on July 27, this year is expected to end on August 2.

She said the regional health directorate has set up distribution centres across the region, where households who registered during the registration period from the various communities are expected to benefit from the distribution of the treated nets at no cost.

She advised registered households to go along with their national identification cards for collection, stressing “the treated bed nets have been reserved for only households that were captured during the registration exercise”.

Nana Asirifi indicated sleeping under the LLINs remained the surest way to prevent malaria, urging beneficiaries to make sure they sleep under the net.

She urged the beneficiaries to hang the nets for 48 hours in an open shady space before they sleep under them to reduce side effects such as body itching.

She further advised the public to make sure their homes have good ventilation in order to aid them to sleep under LLINs throughout the night without difficulties.

The Bono Regional Health Promotions Officer implored the media to partner with the regional health directorate to educate and inform the general public on the need to sleep under treated bed nets.

She also entreated the public to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols at the various collection in order to prevent any community spread of the deadly disease.