Ghana�s senior national team, the Back Stars, has been recognized alongside three other football personalities for their role in the anti-malaria control programmes.
The team, together with its coach, Kwasi Appiah, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwasi Nyantakyi and Dr. Kwesi Annan, the Star�s former medical officer, have been involved in the United Against Malaria Advocacy Initiative (UAMAI).
For this, the team and the three individuals received citations from the Johns Hopkins University in the United States (US). This comes on the eve of the Stars-Chipolopolo of Zambia, world cup qualifier, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
The UAMAI is a joint programme by football stars, celebrities, governments and advocacy organizations to fight malaria. It was launched in the year 2010 to coincide with the prestigious FIFA World Cup tournament in South Africa, specifically to raise the necessary awareness about the disease, its prevention, treatment and management in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr. Emmanuel Fiagbey, Country Director of the Johns Hopkins University, presenting the citations, noted that, malaria continued to remain a serious challenge in Africa.
He, however, said significant progress was being made against it.
Malaria-related deaths in the continent is estimated to have dropped by about 33 per cent since the launch of the Initiative, and this he said, had been achieved largely by the effective role football stars and other personalities were playing.
Mr. Nyantakyi, who received the awards on behalf of the winners, said football was a powerful tool, which could be deployed to win the battle against malaria.
He underlined the need for massive support towards the malaria control programmes on the continent.
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