With the launch of the nation-wide Mosquito Control Programme (NAMCOP) , Ghana has taken the battle against malaria to the very door steps of that tiny insect .  When the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey said he was going to use all available interventions to wage war against malaria; he really meant it.

 NAMCOP which kicked off at Koforidua, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, aims to reduce the breeding of mosquitoes.The programmenv is join venture of the Ministry of Health and Zoomlion, a waste management firm in Ghana. The programme involves spraying mosquito and raising awareness on proper sanitation .

 There are approximately 3,500 species of them grouped into 41 categories. .
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, in the US, only 30-40 transmit malaria of approximately 430 anopheles species transmit malaria.

 A 10-member technical advisory committee has been set up to deal with the mosquito. It comprising research officers from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which advises NAMCOP and also monitors and evaluates it activities.

According to Alhaji Abibu Mohammed Ziblim, Head of Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion, the sprayings it will not only reduce the malarial mosquitoes but diseases such as elephantiasis and yellow fever. NAMCOP uses several is methods — source reduction, larviciding, adulticiding and sensitisation in the mosquito control.

Zoomlion staff clears choked drains and gutters, stagnant waters or pools , levels uneven ground, removes cans, car tyres. They also spray breeding grounds of larvae. such as rain water pools and rice fields. Outdoor and barrier sprays are used on adult mosquitos.Alhaji Ziblim " When we go to homes and communities, we tell them wetell them to clear stagnant water and to make sure old car tyre are stored properly because it ithey can be breeding ground for mosquito if they hold water., Containers used to collect water should be well covered, and those kept under flower pots, fridges should be emptied.

So far 5000 personnel have been recruited nationwide and trained on the use of the chemicals and safety precaution.The product isn taking place in 10 regions of Ghana.

“Days after spraying certain areas, you hear most inhabitants saying that they slept well; free from mosquitoes,”says Alhaji Ziblim . “We will give ourselves between four to six months, to check if the malarial cases in those areas have reduced.