The Adamawa State Government has partnered with the Society for Family Health (SFH) on a campaign to prevent malaria in children and aimed to administer Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Amodiaquine (SPAQ) to children aged three-59 months
Penpushing reports that the ceremony was attended by a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), as well as traditional and religious leaders.
The Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, speaking at the ceremony held at Yelwa Primary Healthcare Centre in Jimeta expressed heartfelt appreciation to Society for Family Health (SFH) for its efforts and innovative strategies in implementing the SMC campaign.
Penpushing further reports that Fintiri represented by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Felix Tangwami, reiterated his unwavering commitment to providing top-notch healthcare services and acknowledged the invaluable guidance of the federal government’s National Malaria Elimination Programme in steering SMC campaigns nationwide.
The Governor called on parents to protect their children from malaria by completing the required doses, as he underscored the high risk of malaria among children aged three to 59 months, particularly during the rainy season, emphasising the crucial role of the SMC campaign in protecting their health and well-being. .
‘The campaign will provide malaria preventive medicine for children, and caregivers should take advantage of this opportunity to ensure their children are fully protected by completing the doses,” he said.
Penpushing also reports that the Managing Director, Society for Family Health (SFH) represented by John Ocholi, explained that the project director of Global Fund Malaria, also commended the SMC campaign, stressing that the goal is to significantly reduce malaria incidence among children by reaching all eligible children in Adamawa State with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Amodiaquine (SPAQ)
The Managing Director stated that there is a need to spread awareness through traditional and religious channels for a successful campaign, adding that Society for Family Health (SFH) aims to administer 1,085,001 doses of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Amodiaquine (SPAQ) to eligible children in all 21 local governments and wards in Adamawa State within the next four days.
Penpushing reports that the Head of Programmes at government’s National Malaria Elimination Programme(NMEP), David Oyeleke, representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, spoke about the nation’s achievements in combating malaria.
The Head of Programmes appealed for sustained support from the state government and stakeholders to achieve a malaria-free Nigeria, as he reaffirmed the federal government’s dedication to eradicating malaria through effective policy implementation and strategic guidance.
Penpushing further reports that it is recalled that the Coordinating Minister in February, expressed concern over the burden of malaria in Nigeria, even as he called for a review of the country’s strategies to combat the disease.
The Minister observed that 70 years after implementing programmes to eliminate malaria, Nigeria still bears 30 per cent of the global burden, with an estimated 68 million cases and 190,000 deaths from the disease as of 2021.
Penpushing also reports that he said the health ministry, in collaboration with partners, is considering initiatives “anchored on the Presidential Initiative to unlock health sector value chain, to eradicate malaria from the country.”
Meanwhile, some of the initiatives include the development of domestic manufacturing of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), generic pharmaceuticals, the introduction of appropriate safe and cost-effective vaccines, and potentially mosquito-repellent products.
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