The Medical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital says the development of resistance to drugs poses one of the greatest threats to malaria control, which then results in increased malaria morbidity.

According to Dr. Foster Amponsah Manu, malaria prevalence is still on the rise at the Out Patient Departments (OPDs) due to drug resistance.

He stated that even though malaria-related deaths have declined over the years, self-medication and abuse of drugs have been the major cause of antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Manu observed that the phenomenon causes complication of treatment and recoveries.

He then advised the general public to ensure they check and test positive for malaria before taking or treating for malaria to avoid microbial resistance.

“We must test to know our status before taking every drug. Let's not think that we can self-medicate without testing. When it happens like that, the parasite becomes resistant and stop the drug from working effectively,” he explained.

He made these known in an interaction with the media after Bliss GVS Pharmacy donated drugs worth ¢30,000 to the Koforidua Regional Hospital, ahead of this year’s World Malaria Day celebration.

“We will plead that you put on the right clothing and sleep under treated mosquito nets. Ghana as whole is an endemic area in Malaria. The Eastern Region has high prevalence rate, even though we have been able to achieve some reduction in the prevalence level.

“Ever since Malaria was discovered in 1869, it has become one of the longest battle of humanity; so, it was about time we did the needful,” he stated.

The Eastern Regional representative of Bliss GVS Pharmacy, Sandra Awuah Nyanor, revealed similar donations and public sensitisations have been held at the St .Martin's Senior High School at Nsawam.

“The high levels of infections have informed our decision to donate to the hospital in the fight against the parasite. During the Covid period, we all forgot there was a certain Malaria somewhere that could be damaging to our health.

“So, we embarked on this donation and sensitisation in schools on what to do to prevent them from being infected,” she said.