Bauchi flags off seasonal malaria chemo-prevention for children under 5-year-old

In its determination to fight the scourge of malaria, particularly among children, Bauchi State Government over the weekend, flagged off the 2022 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) across the 20 local government areas for children aged 3-59 months.

While flagging off the exercise at the palace of the Emir of Dass, the executive chairman of Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), Dr Sani Mohammed, explained that the seasonal malaria chemoprevention is delivered door-to-door by volunteer community distributors who will administer one dose of SP and the first dose of AQ to eligible children.

According to him, “During the administration of the vaccine, the team will ensure that the child takes the first dose in their presence before they leave the house, this is to ensure it is used properly”.

Sani Mohammed also stated that local governments in Bauchi South are to conduct 5 circles, while those in the Northern part of the state will have 4 circles.

He noted that it is based on the fact that the malaria pattern differs in both zones as discovered through various studies and tests.

He further said that the State started the implementation of the programme in 2020 in only 10 local government areas but has now scaled up to all the 20 local government areas based on successes recorded.

” I can tell you that the incidence of malaria has reduced with the introduction of seasonal malaria chemoprevention, we have less hospital attendance as a result of the disease.

“Nigeria, as you know, is the global headquarters of malaria, but currently the narrative has changed with SMC”.

The Chairman added that SMC is given during the months of July to October as it is the period with a high rate of reported cases.

He however stressed that Bauchi State has many interventions in the fight against malaria that include the distribution of intermittent preventive therapy (IPT) for pregnant women and Long lasting insecticidal mosquito nets.

In his remarks, Zonal Project Manager, Malaria Consortium, Kabiru Mohammed said that Nigeria started an early pilot implementation in 2013 following a recommendation from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to him, “Statistics from the NDHS 2018 show a significant reduction in malaria burden in the Country, that means SMC is effective in our zeal to eradicate malaria”.

Permanent Secretary, Bauchi state Ministry of Health, Ali Babayo said that the government is committed to the provision of quality healthcare to its citizens as can be seen in the priority it places on the health sector.

“Though we are challenged by inadequate human resources for health to sustained gains in the sector, government has continued to engage health workers at different levels”.

The Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman who is the Chairman of Emirates in Health, called on households to open their doors to the teams that will visit them to administer the SMC on the targeted children.

The Emir commended the state government for the attention it is paying to the health sector stressing that health is wealth and everything humanly possible should be done to maintain it.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE