Mobile telecom giant, MTN has distributed insecticide treated nets to pregnant women and new mothers in five regions as the company’s contribution to the fight against malaria.

The exercise which coincided with the World Malaria Day celebrations is part the company’s corporate social responsibility program spearheaded by MTN Foundation to ensure malaria-free especially among pregnant women.

According to the World Health Organization, children under five years of age are one of most vulnerable groups affected by malaria with an estimated 584 000 malaria deaths occurring around the world in 2013, approximately 78% were in children under five years of age.

The situation is not different in Ghana where Malaria continues to top Out-patient attendance cases.

For instance, at the  Tafo Government Hospital, out of 125, 521 Out-patient department cases recorded  last year, twenty-eight thousand, 824 were  malaria-related cases, about 65 per cent  increase of 18, 689 recorded in 2014.

The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Services and other partners have stepped-up efforts to scale up malaria control and management with the distribution of treated insecticide nets and anti-malaria drugs to pregnant women and children under 5.

But Medical Superintendent, Dr. Annie Opoku who commended MTN Ghana for the gesture says residents are yet to fully supplement government’s efforts with full participation and clean environment.

MTN Ghana Foundation has for almost a decade been a proud contributor to Ghana’s health sector through various interventions to ensure a relatively healthier society.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers at the Old Tafo and Bolgatanga Government Hospitals as well as their counterparts in Tema, Dixcove and the Cape Coast Hospital in Greater Accra, Western and Central regions received free treated mosquito nets.

Tied to the distribution of the nets is MTN’s fundraising project dubbed, “Buy a Treated Net to save a life” undertaken by staff of MTN.

Commercial Manager of MTN, Northern Sector Peter Bimpeh tells Nhyira FM the donation is as a result of MTN’s believe in the promotion of health for all.

According to him, many more health initiatives will follow to complement already provided health infrastructure across the country