Sokoto targets 1m children for malaria prevention drugs

One million children will receive seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) drugs in Sokoto State during the rainy season.

The Commissioner of Health, Dr.Ali Inname disclosed this during a press conference organised by the Sokoto State Malaria Elimination Agency in collaboration with the Breakthrough Action of Nigeria as part of the activities marking World Malaria Day in the state.

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According to him, 1.3 million doses of SMC medicines, targeting under -ive children were being provided every rainy season by the Malaria Consortium since 2015.

Inname noted that 1.5 million doses of malaria medicine had been procured by the state government, in addition to 300,000 doses provided by USAID/PMI every two months to 282 facilities across the 23 local government areas.

He said that the drugs were given to patients free, adding that the state government would extend the programme to cover all the 800 health facilities in the state this year.

The Commissioner stated that statewide fumigation was conducted to strengthen malaria vector control activities.

The state Coordinator, Breakthrough Actions of Nigeria, Mu’azu Muhammad stressed the need for test before treatment which he said would help identify the number of cases and administer the appropriate treatment.