Ghana is one of the countries most affected by malaria, with over five million reported cases annually.

In the Obuasi municipality of the Ashanti region, malaria tops the list of Outpatient Department (OPD) diseases.

However, the indoor residual spraying programme by AngloGold Ashanti has eradicated about 70% of malaria in the area.

The AGA malaria control programme started in 2006 with 1.3 million benefiting from its free mini-clinic every year.

As part of the 2023 World Malaria Day celebration, AngloGold Ashanti has called on organisations to collaborate with the mine to accelerate the progress of achieving the theme of this year’s celebration.

Edmund Oduro Agyei, stakeholder superintendent at AngloGold Ashanti (AGAG), pledged continuous support to fight and eradicate malaria from the district.

“The records of reduction of malaria after the initiative of the AGA malaria project has been enormous. We’ve been able to eradicate more than 70 % of the disease with the help of Global fund,” he noted.

Though efforts have been made to eliminate the disease, the health director for Adansi North, Eric Atuahene Agyemang says it is faced with the non-adherence to the use of treated bed nets.

“Adherence to bed nets has become problematic. We give them the nets, but they don’t use them. When they visit the health facilities, we give them treatment, but they stop taking the tablets after two days,” he said.

The District Chief Executive for Adansi North, Eric Kwaku Kusi appealed “to AngloGold Ashanti to reintroduce the anti-malaria spraying exercise in the district to help rid mosquitoes.”

He spoke at the commemoration of the 2023 World Malaria Day held at Ayaase.

This year’s World Malaria Day was under the theme: “Time to Deliver Zero Malaria: Invest, Innovate, Implement”.

AngloGold Ashanti donated treated nets and mosquito repellents to some senior high schools in the district.