The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has launched the distribution of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) drugs for 2023 as part of measures to eradicate malaria in the territory.
Officials from the FCTA Public Health Department, representatives from the Malaria Consortium, and other stakeholders highlighted the endemic nature of malaria in many rural areas of the FCT.
During the FCT Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention 2023 Campaign Media Parley and AMAC Flag Off, Dr Saddiq Abdulrahman, Director of Public Health at FCTA, revealed that the distribution of SMC drugs for 2023 was designed to ensure comprehensive coverage for all eligible children, particularly in the communities.
Dr Abdulrahman, represented by Hajia Hauwa Ibrahim, Head of Health Promotion, acknowledged that the 2023 Malaria campaign had been carefully planned to address the shortcomings identified in previous years.
He stated, “SMC commenced in the FCT in 2022, and a low coverage of 66% of eligible children was recorded, against the WHO recommendation of at least 80%. This was largely due to limited reach, such as denial of access to the SMC team in certain areas like barracks, gated estates, and markets, as well as non-compliance by some parents.”
Similarly, Aliyu Jibrin Guraguri, the Zonal Project Manager of the FCT Malaria Consortium, mentioned that they were unable to meet the 80% target last year due to some challenges. However, he assured that they have incorporated the lessons learned from last year into their 2023 planning and hope to achieve better results this year.
Dr Modupe Adeyinka, Director of Primary Healthcare in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), officially flagged off the campaign and emphasized that the team has been well-trained to reach even the hard-to-reach areas. She also urged all stakeholders to mobilise support and promote the acceptance of anti-malaria drugs in rural communities.
“We solicit the support of the media, community, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to create awareness about SMC in communities, churches, and mosques. We also call for social mobilisation to increase acceptance of the anti-malaria drugs,” said Dr Adeyinka.
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