Harness innovation to reduce malaria and save lives – GAMLS tells govt

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has stressed the need for continued investment, standardization and sustained political commitment for
malaria prevention and control in the country.

This, according to GAMLS will help save lives and reduce the burden of the disease.

The association acknowledges a lot has been done through the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) to support medical laboratory services with logistics and competency training of qualified personnel over the years.

“Palpable for the profession to take note of is the delivery of over 800 microscopes to health facilities in 2021through Global fund and USAID PMI support to Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service (MoH/GHS) facilities. These have translated into the improved delivery of malaria diagnosis in health facilities in Ghana,” GAMLS said.

These remarks were contained in GAMLS’ statement to mark the 2022 world malaria day celebration on April 25.

“GAMLS calls for standardisation of materials needed for quality work in the diagnosis of malaria in health facilities especially Giemsa stain, the main reagent for malaria gold standard testing.

“Posits that malaria microscopy gold standard test is a skill that laboratory Scientists go through further training to acquire. The profession recommends the use of competent malaria microscopists for quality and accurate results. Competent people are equally required to carry out point of care testing for diagnosis,” the statement read in parts.

It added: “Requests that testing for malaria should be done before treating patients to avoid wastage.

“Encourages government and the international community to take steps to make the malaria vaccine available to the target population.”

Meanwhile, GAMLS has urged the public to get rid of stagnant waters to control the breeding of mosquitoes and further spread of malaria.

They have also cautioned that the indiscriminate use of insecticides must be checked to minimise the development of resistant vectors (mosquitoes).

These GAMLS believe will make malaria control a success.