Malaria cost Ghanaian businesses over GH¢20 million in 2014

Europa 12:06 - 03 March 2016

Anopheles Gambiae, one of three mosquitoes found in Africa that transmit malaria

Ghanaian Businesses in 2014 spent over GH¢20 million alone on Malaria, Acting Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Dr Kezier Malm has said.

According to her, ninety per cent of the total cost was direct costs with the remaining 10 percent being indirect cost due to absenteeism.

She said malaria has so far resulted in the loss of 30 working days for each employee annually.

Dr. Malm made this known during the launch of new a Behaviour Change Communications (BCC) campaign to encourage Ghanaian households to sleep under Insecticide Treated Bed Nets.

The new campaign was jointly organised by NMCP, Ghana Health Service and UNICEF.

Giving a break down on how malaria is taking a huge toll on businesses, Dr Malm said Ghanaian businesses spent an average of 0.5 per cent of the annual corporate returns on the treatment of malaria on employees and their dependents, 0.3 per cent on malaria prevention, and 0.5% on other health-related corporate social responsibilities.

She therefore called on Ghanaian businesses to ensure employees use Insecticide Bed Nets, as well as support communities around them on how to effectively deal with malaria.

Statistics in 2014 have revealed that 8.4 million cases of Out Patients Department cases (OPD) were recorded accounting for 30 per cent of all OPD cases, 27.9 per cent of admissions and 7.2 per cent of deaths.

Dr Malm has therefore urged all and sundry, particularly school children to sleep under an Insecticide Treated Bed Net in order to fight malaria.