The sharp increase in malaria cases among children under five years in the Amansie West District is beginning to raise concerns among health workers in the area.

According to health officials, malaria cases generally in the district has shot up with data revealing more than 38,000 cases at the Out-patient Departments (OPD) in 2025.

This marks over 2,000 increase over the 2024 figure of 36,000.

But worryingly, it is the increase among infants that is beginning to occupy the attention of the health workers in the district.

According to the data available, malaria cases among the kids have jumped from the 8,000 recorded in 2024 to 10,000 in 2025, marking a 25 per cent increase.

That was linked directly to abandoned pits left by illegal mining activities, commonly known as ‘galamsey.’

The Amansie West District Director of Health Services, Mr Bernard Badu Bediako, stated in an interview that these abandoned pits have become high-volume mosquito breeding grounds across the district.

Commemorating the occasion of the 2026 World Malaria Day, Mr Bediako called for a united front to eliminate the disease from the district.

The problem, he emphsasised, was also compounded by the situation where both children and adults don’t complete the course of their malaria treatment.

Consequently, he urged residents of the district to complete the full course of anti-malaria medication rather than abandon treatment after beginning to feel well, a practice he identified as a key driver of persistent infection.

He also strongly encouraged the consistent use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, acknowledging complaints from some residents about discomfort but stressed that “sleeping under treated nets remained far safer than the risk of severe malaria.”

Mr Badu commended the management of Asanko Gold for supporting the fight against malaria, and announced that public education had been intensified across communities, with health authorities now shifting emphasis from malaria control to outright elimination.

Marking this year’s commemoration, Asanko Gold Ghana Limited organised a free health screening exercise for residents of Manso Abore and surrounding communities, covering malaria testing, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, and general medical consultations.

The company also distributed over 2,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets to Senior High School students within the catchment area.

The company’s General Manager, Justice Fenteng, in a speech read on his behalf, said Asanko Gold’s commitment extended well beyond commemorative activities, pointing to ongoing investments in healthcare infrastructure, including the construction of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds at Tetrem and Krofrom to bring essential medical services closer to rural communities.

“These are long-term investments aimed at improving access to healthcare and strengthening our communities,” Fenteng stated.

He called on residents of Manso and its environs to regularly use mosquito nets, maintain clean surroundings, seek early testing, and take preventive measures seriously, stressing that eliminating malaria required collective action beginning from individual homes.

From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi