REACH Against Malaria
Approximately 10% of children in Ghana will die before their 5th birthday, a quarter of those mortalities attributable to malaria. Every year, an average of 15,000 children below the age of five are recorded as dying from the disease, but these fatalities are not limited to children alone. 10% of pregnant women in Ghana also die as a result of this disease, contributing to the total of 13.2% of all deaths nationwide caused by malaria. These statistics compounded with the challenge of chronic illness such as HIV creates public health challenges that are difficult to handle.
Perhaps the simplest way to prevent the disease is consistent usage of insecticide treated nets (ITNs). This provides a physical barrier that prevents people from being bitten by female anopheles mosquitoes, which carry the disease-causing microorganism, Plasmodium.
In a study where 80% of existing nets in a village of 400 were treated with insecticide, a 25% decrease in all cause mortality was observed among children under 10. Hence, the utility of these nets cannot be overemphasized. Methods targeting stagnant water and bushes in environments that can serve as breeding grounds for the mosquitoes, as well as regular indoor residual spraying to eliminate mosquitoes, are also quite essential for prevention. In most cases, a combination of these methods must be employed to make the most impact. A multi-faceted anti-malarial program in Obuasi, Ghana, organized by Anglogold Ashanti Company from 2005 to 2007 that decreased the malaria incidence in the region by about 73% provides evidence for this.
REACH Against Malaria aims to carry out a successful anti-malaria campaign by adapting effective strategies used in past successful anti-malarial campaigns in Ghana, incorporating new features derived from extensive research. The program will improve access to and maintenance of insecticide treated nets for rural communities in Ghana and establish local treatment posts where trained personnel will diagnose and provide treatment.
Project Directors
Ashley Appiagyei holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Public Health from Boston University and is a graduate of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University with a concentration in Global Health and Community Health Development. She attended Holy Child Secondary School in Cape Coast, Ghana. Volunteer work at clinics and hospitals in Kumasi inspired Ashley to pursue a career in healthcare, with a strong interest in infectious diseases and health systems performance and financing. Ashley has worked on Avian and H1N1 pandemic influenza at the international non-profit organization CARE. She has also worked in Kenya on health workforce issues such as outmigration, and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on tuberculosis outbreak investigations and molecular genotyping.
Selina Osei holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Public Health Degree from the University at Albany School of Public Health with a concentration in Environmental Health Sciences. She attended Jack and Jill School (Roman Ridge) and ABUGISS in Ghana but completed high school in West Haven High, CT. As a patient care volunteer at Yale New-Haven Hospital during high school and college years, Selina became particularly aware of barriers within healthcare that some patients face and developed an interest in Preventive Health. Her experience as a UNESCO (United Nation’s Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Student Ambassador, advocating for human rights through programs that educate and encourage understanding for those who experience violations of human rights, exposed her to global health issues relating to childhood mortality due to HIV/AIDS and Malaria. She is interested in how environmental factors impact the health of vulnerable populations, particularly pediatric environmental health issues relating to asthma, obesity, childhood cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders from toxic exposures. With Ghana’s recent technological advancements, Selina is particularly interested in childhood health effects from exposure to electronic waste toxins and advocating for E-waste management policies in Ghana.
Selina has worked as a Pharmacy Technician at Yale New-Haven Hospital for two years and recently as a Breast Health Educator at the Women’s Center for Breast Health, at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven.
Selina was drawn to the REACH Ghana initiative as an opportunity to directly contribute her skills in efforts to raise awareness and develop comprehensive community-based interventions for health issues afflicting communities in Ghana.
Email: selina.osei@reachghana.org
