A mass malaria prevention campaign in Nigeria’s Plateau State has reached more than one million children, helping to drive down infection rates, health officials said.
The Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) programme distributes Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine with Amodiaquine (SPAQ) to children under five during peak transmission seasons. Officials say the intervention has cut malaria prevalence from 18.8 per cent to an estimated 15 per cent.
“We have already surpassed our target, reaching 1,012,160 children in three cycles – that’s 106 per cent coverage,” said Ndak Kizito, head of the state’s Malaria Elimination Programme. “The results show a clear decline in malaria cases across Plateau.”
Health Commissioner Dr Nicholas Baamlong hailed the programme as a “major milestone” in the state’s broader effort to eliminate malaria, promising sustained government backing.
The Malaria Consortium, which supports the campaign, confirmed that the next round of distribution will begin on 4 September.
