Ghana

In Ghana, IRS is a core vector control intervention and a component of the current National Malaria Control Strategy and Ghana Strategic Plan for Malaria Control 2014-2020. PMI support for IRS started in 2008. In the ensuing 12 years, PMI has targeted between five and nine districts in the Northern region (recently divided into three regions: Northern, North East, and Savannah) per year, with the highest number of structures sprayed (383,142 structures) and population protected (941,240 people) in 2012. AngloGold Ashanti Malaria Control Ltd (AGAMal) has been conducting IRS since 2006 in the Obuasi district of the Ashanti region with its own funds. Since 2008, AGAMal has received financial support from the Global Fund to expand its IRS activities to the entire Upper West and three districts in the Upper East regions.

In the last five years of IRS implementation, PMI has targeted between five and nine districts in the Northern region (which, in 2019, was divided into three regions: Northern, North East, and Savannah) per year, with the largest population protected (965,467 people) in 2020. Another large IRS implementer, AngloGold Ashanti Malaria Control Ltd (AGAMal), has been conducting IRS since 2006 in Obuasi district of Ashanti region with its own funds. Since 2008, AGAMal has received financial support from the Global Fund to expand its IRS activities to the entire Upper West and three districts in Upper East regions.

In 2021, the PMI VectorLink Project in Ghana conducted IRS in nine districts between March 23 and May 4, using Fludora Fusion (a mixture of clothianidin and deltamethrin) and SumiShield (clothianidin) insecticides. It targeted 366,283 structures and sprayed a total of 329,838 structures out of 364,469 structures that spray operators (SOPs) found in the targeted districts, for a coverage rate of 90.5%. The project also sprayed 4,925 eligible animal shelters in five districts based on data on mosquito resting and feeding behaviors collected in previous years to improve vector control.

In year five (January 2022 – December 2022), the project conducted IRS in nine districts: Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri (BND), East Mamprusi (EMD), Gushegu (GUD), Karaga (KAD), Kumbungu (KUD), Mamprugu Moagduri (MMD), Tatale-Sanguli (TSD), West Mamprusi (WMD), and Yunyoo-Nasuan (YND), from from March 2 through April 12, 2022, and will provide capacity-building support to the national and district governments to plan and implement quality IRS in the future. In addition to IRS, the project will conduct entomological monitoring and ITN activities.

For IRS, VectorLink Ghana will work with the NMCP, GHS Regional and District Health Directorates, District Assemblies, and community and religious leaders to spray 364,469 targeted structures in nine districts using SumiShield (in EMD, GUD, KUD, and TSD), and Fludora Fusion (in BND, KAD, MMD, WMD, and YND). The project’s primary objective is to reach a minimum coverage of 85% of the structures found in each district by implementing high-quality IRS operations (and at least 90% of eligible structures per the NMCP target).

In addition to spraying, the project will carry out the following activities:

  • Continue mobile data collection for IRS in all IRS districts following its success in 2021 campaign and for all entomological data field collections and species identifications following a successful pilot.
  • Continue the use of VectorLink Collect in Ghana to manage IRS and entomology data.
  • Conduct monthly vector bionomics monitoring in 12 sentinel sites nationwide including six in PMI-supported IRS districts (two of which are national surveillance sites), two in non-sprayed sites, and four national surveillance sites outside the PMI IRS area.
  • Monitor insecticide resistance in 13 sites (11 IRS, 2 non-sprayed) and residual efficacy of two insecticide formulations that will be sprayed in 2022.
  • Continue supporting NIRMOP to collect annual insecticide resistance data at 15 sentinel sites.
  • Provide technical support for strategic decision making and deployment of interventions for malaria control to the Malaria Vector Control Oversight Committee (MaVCOC).
  • Continue skill transfer to the GHS at all levels on vector control to ensure proper monitoring, implementation, and sustainability of IRS and to the NHRC to take up and manage four national entomology surveillance sites.
  • Support NMCP with school-based ITN distribution.
  • Contribute to implementation of ISS and OTSS, and data analysis of ITN routine distribution through health facilities.
  • Expand the SBC activity to widen the use of ITNs into the entire Eastern region (10 more districts).
  • Support other partners to complete the large-scale pilot of integrating continuous ITN distribution into the GHS national supply and distribution chain in Eastern, Oti, and Volta regions.

VectorLink Ghana Fact Sheet 2022

Click here to see how PMI VectorLink Ghana recycles and repurposes materials from their indoor residual spraying campaign. 

Success stories:

Community Leaders Help to End Malaria

PMI VectorLink Ghana Celebrates a Decline in Malaria Cases this World Malaria Day

Record Reductions in Malaria Cases in IRS Districts

Malaria Fighter: Peace Dellor

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