Doctor Kennedy Brightson, the Medical Superintendent of Shai Osudoku District Hospital, has advised Ghanaians who suspect they have malaria to go for testing and confirmation before starting any treatment.
He said self-medication for unconfirmed fevers was very dangerous to the health of the patients, which might lead to their premature death.
Dr Brightson gave the advice, when members of the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) paid a courtesy call on him at Dodowa.
The visit formed part of a three-day media sensitisation workshop on malaria, being held by AMMREN and Malariacare at Dodowa, in the Shai Osudoku District.
According to Dr Brightson, “malaria kills more women and children under five than assumed.”
“Malaria infections in pregnancy is one of the causes of maternal and child deaths in Ghana,” he said.
He explained that the malaria parasites live in the placenta bed, which prevents babies in the womb from feeding from their mothers and as a result some babies die in the womb.
Dr Brightson said most miscarriages were caused by malaria as well as growth retardation among children under five years old.
“When mothers get malaria it is dangerous because it jeopardizes both mother and child in the womb,” and advised pregnant mothers to endeavour to visit the health centres right from conception to delivery to save their lives.
Dr Brightson also entreated pharmacy shop attendants, to at least perform a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) on suspected malaria cases before selling medicines to their clients.
Source: GhanaWeb
