Dr Saki said the physical and mental development of children begin when their mothers conceive them and, therefore, urged parents to attach precedence to anti-natal care.

Speaking on the theme "A Healthy Child, A Sutained Education" at the third graduation ceremony of Emmanuel International School in Accra, Dr Saki advised preganant women to desist from using unorthodox medicines, since they cause abnormalities to pregnancies.

"A healthy child is one who lives in a good and safe environment. Most pregnant women use herbal medicine which amounts to drug abuse. Abuse of medication affects the physical and mental state of the unborn child," Dr Saki said.

Dr Saki stressed that for children to attain higher IQ levels, parents must make concious efforts to provide their basic health needs, adding that a child who is denied balanced diet often becomes dull.

"When children are poorly fed their brains do not develop well and they always lag behind in academic work," Dr Saki said.

Dr Saki noted that the ecnomic activities of some parents often make them shift their parental roles and duties to teachers.

He said the socialisation process of childern would be incomplete however hard teachers may try, if parents do not take up their parental roles and duties.

"Children spend more time at home than in school so parents need to spend sometime with them. Not only that, parents need to create a good atmosphere for interaction," he said.

On the upsurge of malaria, Dr Saki advised parents to always send their children to hospitals whenever they show symptoms of the disease, adding: "The malaria parasite now appears to resist the normal chloroquine medication."

The Proprietress of Emmanuel International School, Madam Mercy Kwofie, attributed absenteeism, which is a root cause of poor performance among students, to the malaria disease.

She said the school has launched activities such as monthly education of parents and guardians on proper health practices to assist the Roll Back Malaria Campaign.

Recent reports indicated the country's annual budget for the treatment of malaria to have increased to about ¢850 billion, following the rising incidence of the disease and the accompany rise in treatment cost.

"Current figures indicate that 17 million people report sick of malerai every year, while the treatment cost has also increased from ¢1,000 per episode to ¢50, 000. Previous annual budget for the treatment was ¢17 million," the Daily Graphic reported.

Twenty students graduated. Individual academic performance was rewarded with Master Tony Yamoah receiving the award for the overall best student.