We have reduced malaria burden by 6% in Kwara, says AbdulRazaq

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara, says the prevention strategies implemented by his government alongside partners have reduced the malaria burden among children in the state by six percent.

NAN reports that AbdulRazaq spoke on Friday at the flag-off of the seasonal malaria chemotherapy (SMC) ceremony held in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara.

The governor, represented by Shehu Ndanusa, the commissioner for sports and youth development, said malaria remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under five, with a prevalence rate of 23 percent.

He added that SMC is a proven malaria elimination intervention initiated by his administration in 2021.

“It involves the house-to-house distribution of malaria preventive medicine to children aged three months to 59 months in 11 eligible local government areas of Kwara state,” AbdulRazaq said.

“This campaign is made possible by the commitment of this administration to the health and welfare of all Kwarans, particularly our children and mothers.

“We continue to pay several health-related counterpart funds that have cemented the collaboration of our donors and partners, hence complementing the numerous health interventions from the ministry of health,” he said.

AbdulRazaq said the state government implemented the first-ever integrated seasonal malaria chemoprevention and insecticide-treated net campaign in 2023, to increase access.

He noted that the impact of the malaria elimination strategies and innovations had been applauded globally and adopted by other states.

The governor emphasised that the state remains committed to achieving zero malaria and will leave no stone unturned in the quest.

“I want to charge our mothers to gladly receive our health volunteers, community distributors (CDD), who will be coming to your houses to give you the malaria preventive drug (SPAQ) and supervise the administration of the first dose to eligible children,” he said.

“Our mothers are to equally ensure that they complete the day-2 and day-3 drugs to keep their children free from malaria this rainy season.

“In addition, our mothers and fathers should ensure that they and their children continue to sleep under the insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) every night.”

Amina El-Imam, Kwara commissioner for health, explained that the flag-off was to raise awareness about the need for preventive malaria drugs for children.

She said the drug is life-saving and administered free to children from three months to five years of age.