The Oyo State Government has launched the second phase of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaign (SMC), aimed at achieving zero malaria prevalence in children, under the age of five in the state.
A statement signed by the Co-ordinating Director, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Gideon Alade, disclosed that the programme in collaboration with Malaria Consortium, was inaugurated in the Saki West Local Government Area of the state.
The statement also disclosed that the target was the prevention of malaria in children aged 3-59 months during the peak of the malaria season.
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In the statement, the Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Health, Dr Olusoji Adeyanju, reiterated the Governor Seyi Makinde led administration’s commitment in significantly reducing malaria cases among children under five and pregnant women, explaining that it was essential for parents and guardians to present their children to health workers for drug administration.
Adeyanju maintained that the children within the age bracket are expected to take chemoprevention drugs monthly for five months, noting that the state government would continue to strengthen routine healthcare services to improve the health of women and children, through the different healthcare initiatives.
He said the innitiative was in line with the global malaria strategy which sets the target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90%, by year 2030.
Adeyanju stated: “The second round of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention distribution will commence on Friday, June 16th, 2023 and last till Monday 19th June, 2023. Distribution will be carried out monthly for four days each month. The drugs will be repeated after every 28 days from June to October 2023.”
“The present drugs SPAQ that will be distributed are free and they do not cure malaria but they prevent malaria. It doesn’t work alone; we have to ensure that our children also sleep inside the net. Our environment should be clean without mosquito birding sites,” Adeyanju said.
He appreciated the health care providers and the Malaria Consortium Team, which implements the SMC campaign, for the significant support given to the Oyo State Government, affirming that the mass distribution of malaria preventive drugs had significantly reduced malaria cases in children between 3 and 59 months in Oyo State.
Adeyanju noted: “The drugs have been provided in collaboration with Malaria Consortium, our implementing partners. They are also supporting flag-off across the other five LGAs presently.
“The implementation commenced last year with an overall coverage of 102% in which about 290,000 children were reached. Our data shows that the incidence of malaria in our children aged 3-59 months dropped from 72% to 52%,” he said.
Adeyanju however sought the support of stakeholders in concerned communities to ensure successes in the implementation.
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Earlier, the wife of the Chairman, Saki West Local Government Area, Mrs Funmi Akinola, expressed the readiness of the local government area to continually give the project necessary support.
The Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaign would be administered in six local government areas with the highest malaria burden, including Irepo, Olorunsogo and Ogbomoso North.
Others are Saki East, Saki West and Surulere Local Government areas of Oyo State.
Emmanuel Ukoh
