Malaria prevalent drops by 22% in Nigeria – Expert

Mr Kenneth Maduka, Kogi Project Manager Malaria Consortium, has said that malaria prevalence in the country decreased from 23 per cent in 2018 to 22 per cent in 2021.

Maduka, made this known during the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMCbriefing, organised by the organisation in collaboration with Kogi Ministry of Health held in Lokoja.

He said that more than 28 million children were reached in Nigeria, representing 52 per cent of the global coverage of 54 million children in 2023

The project manager also said that malaria prevalence equally dropped by 16 per cent in Kogi and 27 per cent globally in 2023 compared with 2021 record.

“The drop is attributed to the successful administration Seasonal Malaria Chemotherapy (SMC) drugs on children between the ages of three and 59 months across the country and globe in 2023.

“In Kogi alone, 1.2 million children of ages three to 59 months were administered with more than 6.3 million medicines distributed under the Kogi SMC project in 2023.

“SMC is a combination of two antimalarial drugs: Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine and Amiodiaquine (SPAQ), given to eligible children of ages three to 59 months, only during raining season to prevent them from contracting malaria, ” he said.

He said that SMC project implementation began in Kogi in 2021 under the State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) supported by Malaria Consortium, World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners.

“Our target for SMC implementation in 2024 in Kogi is 1, 184, 652, which we have already exceeded in June and July cycles.

“We intend to increase the figure during the August and September cycles of SMC implementation across the state,” Maduja said.

He stressed that death from malaria occurred in 60 to 70 per cent of children of ages three to 59 months especially during raining season hence the focus on the age bracket.

The SMC state project manager commended the Kogi Government for fully supporting the programme which resulted in its success in the state.

Also speaking, Orimodu Matthew, Director, Health Educator Advocacy, Kogi SMEP, said the parley was to interact with the media to help increase awareness for advocacy and behavioral change towards SMC implementation in Kogi.

“We want the media to help promote the SMC campaign and activities, so that people can have behavioral change, correct wrong notion about malaria, and educate them to take the required free SMC drugs.

“Media should help to ensure patient engagement as well as encourage individuals to take active roles in their own healthcare programme,” Matthew said.

Earlier, the State Programme Manager of SMEP, Dr Stephen Ake, said a total of 14,255 personnel were engaged under the SMC project in 747 Health facilities in 239 Wards across the state.

According to him, the personnel include 1,871 Health Facility workers (HFWs); 9,112 community drug distributors (CDDs); and 21 State Supervisors.

Others are 1,158 Lead Mothers (LMs); 1,158 Town Announcers (TAs): and 105 LGA Team.

Ake noted that the state was also reaching out to the adults on malaria prevention through the IMPACT Project.