Malaria prevalent decreases by 22% - Expert

Malaria prevalence in Nigeria decreased from 23 per cent in 2018 to 22 per cent in 2021, according to Kenneth Maduka, Kogi Project Manager Malaria Consortium. 

He disclosed this known during the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, SMC, briefing, organised by the organisation in collaboration with Kogi Ministry of Health held in Lokoja.

According to him, more than 28 million children were reached in Nigeria, representing 52 per cent of the global coverage of 54 million children in 2023.

The project manager also said that malaria prevalence equally dropped by 16 per cent in Kogi and 27 per cent globally in 2023 compared with 2021 record.

“The drop is attributed to the successful administration Seasonal Malaria Chemotherap drugs on children between the ages of three and 59 months across the country and globe in 2023.

“In Kogi alone, 1.2 million children of ages three to 59 months were administered with more than 6.3 million medicines distributed under the Kogi SMC project in 2023.

“SMC is a combination of two antimalarial drugs: Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine and Amiodiaquine (SPAQ), given to eligible children of ages three to 59 months, only during raining season to prevent them from contracting malaria, ” he said.

He said that SMC project implementation began in Kogi in 2021 under the State Malaria Elimination Programme, SMEP,  supported by Malaria Consortium, World Health Organisation, WHO, and other partners.

“Our target for SMC implementation in 2024 in Kogi is 1, 184, 652, which we have already exceeded in June and July cycles.

“We intend to increase the figure during the August and September cycles of SMC implementation across the state,” Maduja said.

He stressed that death from malaria occurred in 60 to 70 per cent of children of ages three to 59 months especially during raining season hence the focus on the age bracket.