The Ghana Health Service in the Savannah Region will from today carry out malaria chemoprevention across the region.
The exercise which is a seasonal is to protect children under 5 years from malaria infections and reduce related deaths.
Trained community health volunteers will move from house to administer the SMC anti malaria medicine to all children from three months to fifty-nine months.
The first round starts today Monday 11th to 17th July 2022 to be followed by three other rounds within a period of 28 days intervals between each month.
The Savannah regional health promotion officer, Janet Kulah told citinewsroom.com the SMC medicines are safe and free.
“We want to assure the public that the medicine is safe, free and approved by the food and drugs authority, so parents should not be afraid to allow their children to take the doses. They should also ensure that the child eats before taking the medicine.”
She asked parents to report to a health facility if a child develops any side effects after taking the medication.
“Some children may experience some side effects, so any child who experiences anything whether as a result of taking the medicine or not should be sent to the nearest health facility, our staff are trained to manage all side effects.”
The region is targeting to administer the SMC medicines to at least 95% of registered children within the prescribed age limit.