By Ibrahim G Ahmad
The Zamfara State Government has begun its 2025 mass distribution of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) drugs, aiming to protect 1.2 million eligible children across the state.
The official flag-off ceremony took place on Thursday in Tsafe town, Tsafe Local Government Area.
This crucial health intervention is in collaboration with the Zamfara State Government, the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), Global Health Supply Chain – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM), with support from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), among other partners.
According to the WHO, malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries but it is preventable and curable.
Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and with medicines, and treatments can stop mild cases from getting worse.
The SMC campaign involves a door-to-door approach to distribute the preventive medicine to children aged between three months and 59 months during the peak malaria season.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to reduce the burden of malaria in Zamfara and improve child health outcomes.
The Regional Director Global Health Supply Chain -Procurement, Dinola James, who supported the programme said no fewer than 10,000 ad-hoc staff were mobilised for the distribution exercise across the state.
“We work to ensure that all eligible children receive malaria chemoprevention in all the 147 wards across the 14 local government areas using over 10,000 ad-hoc staff in the state,” he said.
In her remarks ,the Zamfara State Commissioner of Health, Dr Nafisa Maradun, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Primary Healthcare, Dr Hussaini Anka ,warned against the diversion of the chemoprevention drugs and other materials to commercial purpose.
“I assure that the government will not take it lightly with anyone caught diverting the chemoprevention drugs in the state,” he said.
The National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), Dr Nnena Ogbulafor, represented by Mohammed Mohammed, said they were committed to ensuring that malaria was eliminated from the state and country at large.
In their remarks, partners that included the International Rescue Committee ( IRC) and World Health Organization ( WHO) assured their continued support toward improving healthcare delivery and eliminating malaria in the state.
The Chairman of Tsafe Local Government Council Garba Shehu reassured that Councils would do everything humanly possible to ensure that no eligible child was denied Chemoprevention drugs.
“Malaria is one of the most disturbing illnesses in the community; we need to urgently support to the elimination of malaria. I will continue to mobilise for the elimination of malaria,” he said.
The Emir of Tsafe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammad Bawa (Yandoton Tsafe ), appreciated the efforts of the current administration’s priotitisation of the health sector in the state.
He promised that the emirate would mobilised all traditional leaders to give maximum support toward the successful distribution of 2025 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention drugs in the state.
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