NACOMP TRAINS TEAM LEADERS ON MOSQUITO CONTROL

The Nationwide Mosquito Control Programme (NACOMP), under Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a waste management and sanitation firm, has trained it team leaders in the Northern Sector of the country on mosquito control activities.

The participants drawn from Brong-Ahafo, Ashanti, Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions were also trained on how to use the phoenix mosquito spraying machine to control mosquito borne diseases during the three day training programme held in Sunyani, Brong-Ahafo Regional Capital.

Addressing the 117 participants, a member of the Technical Advisory Committee from Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Dr. Samuel Kweku Dadzie explained the training is basically to equip the participants on the idea of mosquito and the need to control the insects.

According to him, mosquitoes cause yellow fever, malaria and elephantiasis, that is why he said it is necessary for the training to help them identify areas suitable for breeding of the insects and for spraying.

“The mosquito that cause malaria is the same insects that gives elephantiasis so people need to be educated to be careful”, he added.

Dr. Dadzie explained the training is also to educate them on safety measures on proper handling of insecticides used in spraying the insects as well as the maintenance of the spraying machines.

Mr. Alhaji Ziblim, an official of NACOMP who took the participants through safety and spraying techniques, called on the team leaders to avoid the intake of alcohol when mixing the chemicals or spraying.

He advised them to strictly adhere to all safety measures during the spraying exercise.

The National Head of NACOMP, Ebenezer Kwame Addae, explained it was set up in 2009 with the aim of controlling mosquito borne diseases.

He said the training is Ministry of Health and NACOMP collaboration to control mosquitoes and other mosquito related diseases

Mr. Addae said the training would empower the participants and build their capacities in mosquito control activities as well as improve their efficiency in the control programme.

Welcoming the team leaders, the Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of Zoomlion, Kofi Sekyere called on them to take the training serious so as to enable them find effective ways of controlling the spread of mosquitoes.

He was optimistic that participants will be well abreast with issues concerning mosquito at the close of the programme