THIS INITIATIVE MUST SUCCEED

PRESIDENT George Walker Bush announced a $17-million support to Ghana to fight malaria during his just-ended visit to the country.
While we commend the US government for its tremendous support to the country in its fight against malaria, the DAILY GRAPHIC again wishes to use this platform to remind Ghanaians of their responsibility towards the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
Malaria is a major health concern in Ghana and other African countries, although it is a disease which can easily be brought under control through simple preventive measures.
Some of the commentaries and reports in sections of the foreign media that accompanied President Bush to Ghana are not in the least complimentary.
These reports touch on filth near the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel where President Bush lodged and areas near the Maamobi Polyclinic.
Concerns have been raised as to whether the financial support being provided for malaria prevention can yield the right dividends when we are surrounded by filth, stagnant water and other breeding places of the mosquito, which is the vector of the malaria parasite.
The menace of malaria can be checked if the breeding sites of mosquitoes are eliminated through simple hygienic measures.
It is a shame that in this technological age drains in the city are always choked, while garbage is dumped everywhere.
The DAILY GRAPHIC challenges Ghanaians to return to the old values of cleanliness, which take their root from the dictum, “cleanliness is next to Godliness” and ensure that our environment is kept clean.
In the good old days, sanitary inspectors, popularly called “Tankanse”, had the mandate to inspect every home and even check kitchens, cooking utensils, drinking pots and drains to ensure that strict environmental cleanliness was observed.
It is a tragedy that these basic human values have been abandoned because of urbanisation, thereby condemning most of our children to the dangers of malaria.
Our children and even adults can be saved from the menace of malaria if society abides by simple environmental guidelines so that donor support can be channelled into other sectors.
Some time last year, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment re-launched the sanitary inspection unit and introduced the “Saman Saman” system in a number of districts on a pilot scale.
The unit must be made to work to enforce the regulations on environmental cleanliness. For this reason, the DAILY GRAPHIC reminds all that the major aspect of the fight against malaria depends on personal discipline. Let us encourage the donor community to continue to support efforts to tame the menace of malaria by ensuring the success of the intervention by President Bush. Savings made as a result of the eradication of malaria can be directed at the provision of other basic needs of the people.
The success of malaria control measures is key to the attainment of the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and improved economic conditions in the country.
We, therefore, call on all individuals, family members, communities and the entire Ghanaian populace to police the environment and make sure that people do not litter indiscriminately.