Bauchi State Government has targeted 2.2 million children from the age of three to 59 months in the state for the 2023 rounds of Seasonal Malaria Chemo-prevention (SMC) for the prevention of malaria in children.
This was disclosed by the Bauchi State Programme Coordinator of Malaria Consortium, Kabiru Mohammed Algamawy, during a pre-implementation media briefing of the rollout of the exercise held at the office of the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of Malaria, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and HIV/AIDS (BACTMA).
The state Coordinator, however, said the objective of the SMC campaign is to maintain adequate therapeutic anti – malarial drugs concentration in the blood of the recipient throughout the period of malaria risk.
He explained that the burden of malaria has been reduced by 12.5% from 2020 to 2022, adding that Out-of-Pocket Expenditure to treat malaria has also been reduced.
He narrated that the SMC intervention is an intermittent administration of a monthly treatment course of anti-malaria to children during high transmission of the scourge as the rainy season sets in.
He also said that about 25,000 adhoc personnel will be engaged in 2023 to support SMC in the state and will be paid a monthly allowance which he said is another way of generating employment in the state.
Kabiru Mohammed expressed confidence that with the SMC coming while the Treated Mosquito Nets are being distributed, the prevalence of malaria in mother and child will reduce drastically to a barest minimum.
The Executive Chairman of BACATMA, Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam, in his speech said this year’s SMC campaign came at a time when the State Government is also distributing Insecticide Treated Nets for household use against Malaria.
Dambam unveiled that Bauchi State was ranked the best performing State in SMC implementation in 2022, assuring the Malaria Consortium that the 2023 SMC campaign will record more success than last year.
He said the successes achieved was not unconnected to the commitment and support of Governor Bala Mohammed in his quest to bequeath a healthy and productive citizens that does not have to engage in out of pocket expenses for healthcare delivery.
The Nigeria Standard reports that the exercise is expected to commence on Saturday 15th — Tuesday 18 of August 2023 and will cover the 20 local government areas of the state.
