OREANDA-NEWS. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today announced a partnership with the Ghana Red Cross Society to fund and implement a year-long malaria prevention campaign in four districts in Ghana. The health education activities will be reaching children under five years of age and pregnant women through the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN) through the 'Hang Up and Keep Up Campaign'. This programme complements the National Malaria Control Programme in Ghana.

The project will be implemented in the Greater Accra and Upper East Regions. The Ghana Red Cross Society will recruit 80 volunteers and train them to carry out the proposed activities. Each volunteer will be responsible for 20 households per the project period giving a cumulative households total of 1,600. The LLIN's will also be distributed in Ghana Red Cross Society distribution centres, Mothers' Clubs and also churches and mosques. A total of 4,000 LLINs will be procured and distributed as part of this programme, with a total number of 8,000 beneficiaries.

“Delta is committed to positively impacting the communities it operates service to and I am delighted that we are able to help reduce under-five mortality and morbidity through this scheme in Ghana,” said Perry Cantarutti, Delta's senior vice president Europe, Middle East and Africa. “This scheme run in association with our partners Ghana Red Cross Society will provide support through individual, household and community levels and re-affirms our commitment to Ghana and its people.”

President of the Ghana Red Cross Society, Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo added:“This collaboration with Delta Air Lines is a demonstration of our common objective to alleviate human suffering and promote the wellbeing of the people, particularly at the grass root level. The Ghana Red Cross society has been at the forefront of the fight against Malaria for years, and this project will go a long way to reinforce the success chalked in the past.”

Delta has an existing national partnership with the American Red Cross providing a variety of opportunities to help alleviate suffering by maintaining a standing offer of complementary cargo and passenger space.

Delta has operated service to Ghana since December 2006 and now operates service to five African cities in five countries. Delta has grown from 22 weekly departures to and from Africa in December 2006 to more than 50 planned for summer 2014. Through the hubs in Atlanta and New York-JFK, Delta offers an unsurpassed network of hundreds of convenient onward connections.