A Physician Specialist and Medical Superintendent at Banhart Hospital at Kenyasi in the Ahafo region, Dr Jeffery Fui Kudiabor, has urged individuals diagnosed with malaria to strictly adhere to the prescribed dosage, timing, and specific brands of medication to prevent the development of resistance by the malaria parasite.

In an interview with JoyNews during this year's World Malaria Day commemoration, he stressed the importance of completing the full course of medication and, where necessary, conducting laboratory tests to ensure the complete eradication of the disease-causing parasite.

World Malaria Day (WMD) is observed annually on April 25 by all member States of the World Health Organisation (WHO), recognising global efforts to combat the disease.

The theme for 2025, "Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite," encourages renewed commitment to the fight against malaria at all levels, from global policies to local action, with a focus on investment, innovation, and collaboration.

Globally, 3.3 billion people across 106 countries are at risk of malaria. In 2012, malaria resulted in an estimated 627,000 deaths, predominantly among African children.

Asia, Latin America, and, to a lesser extent, the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected.

According to the latest World Malaria Report, the global death toll from malaria reached 429,000, with 212 million new cases in 2015.

Between 2010 and 2015, the rate of new malaria cases fell by 21% worldwide, while malaria death rates decreased by 29% during the same period. In sub-Saharan Africa, case incidence and death rates declined by 21% and 31%, respectively.

Dr Jeffery Fui Kudiabor, a Physician Specialist and Medical Superintendent at Banhart Hospital in Kenyasi, explained that incomplete courses of prescribed malaria medication contribute to resistance.

He highlighted some of the key causes of this devastating disease, particularly the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito, and urged residents to adopt positive lifestyles, including maintaining environmental cleanliness and sleeping under treated mosquito nets.

The Physician Specialist strongly refuted the misconception that exposure to the intense heat of the sun could cause malaria fever, emphasising that tackling the disease requires a collective effort from all stakeholders.

Dr Fui Kudiabor reiterated that preventive measures are the most effective means of eradicating the disease and called for a change in habits among residents, sound policies from governments, and adequate funding from both local and international donors to fully eliminate malaria.