Wamakko (Sokoto) – No fewer than 792,132 under five children are to receive preventive malaria treatments this year in Sokoto and Zamfara states.
The Chief Executive Officer, Malaria Consortium, Mr Charles Nelson, disclosed this on Thursday at the Seasonal Malaria Chemo-prevention (SMC) programme in Wamakko.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the
governments of Sokoto and Zamfara states in collaboration with ACCESS SMC project partners in Nigeria, led by Malaria Consortium.
Nelson said as part of preparation for the administration of the SMC medicines in the two states, 23 national trainers and 141 state trainers have been trained.
Others trained included 1,974 health facility staff, supervisors and 6,531 community healthcare workers.
He said SMC was a critical tool in combating the menace of malaria.
“For the 25 million children who live across the Sahel where there is seasonal surge of malaria incidence, the World Health Organisation recommends seasonal malaria chemoprevention SMC.
“The SMC is an effective tool in the fight against malaria,” he stated.
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, who inaugurated the programme, expressed joy with the initiative.
Tambuwal assured that his administration would continue to address all the core issues related to malaria control as a mark of its concern to the survival and protection of children.
Represented by the state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Bature Shinkafi, the governor said the state government had demonstrated commitment to malaria elimination by adopting these strategies.
“These strategies include capacity building for healthcare facilities,” Tambuwal said.
He enjoined local government councils to give their maximum support to the programme, which he said was aimed at improving the health of the people.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, Dr Buhari Kware, said for the exercise to be effective health personnel had been trained.
Kware said the training was for effective handling of distribution and house-to-house administration of malaria drugs to children from three to 59 months. (NAN)