Mrs. Janet Angbazo, the Permanent Secretary of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, announced in a media briefing on Monday in Lafia that a malaria prevention drug distribution program would benefit over 977,950 children between the ages of three months to 59 months in the state.
The purpose of the news conference was to raise awareness about the third round of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) intervention in the state. This intervention, which began in 2020, is being supported by Malaria Consortium, an international non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating malaria and other infectious diseases in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Mrs. Angbazo emphasized that the SMC intervention is endorsed by the World Health Organization as a preventive strategy to eliminate malaria, particularly among young children. Since the inception of the intervention in 2021, the burden of malaria in the state has decreased from 30% to 15%.
She commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his unwavering support of the Ministry of Health and his commitment to providing better and more accessible healthcare services over the past four years. She also expressed gratitude to Malaria Consortium for their life-changing support in the last three years.
Highlighting the seasonal nature of the preventive measure, Mrs. Angbazo explained that the distribution of the drugs would coincide with the peak of malaria transmission during the rainy season. She assured the public that the drugs have been deemed safe, effective, and well-tolerated by children in the concentrations used.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the program, the ministry has deployed 11,240 ad hoc staff who have been trained to administer the drugs to eligible children in every household across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state. These staff members include Community Drug Distributors, Town Announcers, Lead Mothers, Supervisors, and Health Facility Workers.
The distribution of the drugs will take place monthly for a period of five months, from June to October.
In light of the importance of collective effort, Mrs. Angbazo called on all stakeholders, including parents, caregivers, traditional rulers, and religious leaders, to support the program for its success.
NAN
