By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Plateau Malaria Eradication Programme (SMEP), on Wednesday said the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) project is addressing the prevalence of malaria in the state.
SMEP also said the project has administered SPAQ medication to more than one million children under-five in the state in the last three circles of its implementation.
This was disclosed by, Mr Ndak Kizito, during an interactive session with journalists, organised by SMEP and Malaria Consortium, in Jos the State Capital.
According to him, the state had administered Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine with Amodiaquine (SPAQ) medication to children under-five across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) through the SMC project.
Kizito who is SMEP’s Programme Manager, maintained that, “The SMC intervention is drastically addressing the prevalence of malaria in the Plateau.
“We have so far administered SPAQ medication to 1,012,160 children under-five and that is 106 percent.
“Currently, the state of malaria in the state stands at 18.8 per cent and a recent unpublished report by the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS), revealed that the rate has reduced to 15 per cent.
“It is our desire that by the time we administer SPAQ for the fourth and fifth circles, a malaria free Plateau is possible,”he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Nicholas Baamlong,
commended the SMC project for the feat so far achieved towards the fight against malaria in the state.
Baamlong promised continuous support from government towards success of the project and ensuring a malaria free Plateau.
In his earlier remarks, the Programme Manager of Malaria Consortium, Dr Mbwas Mabor, said that media engagement aimed at sensitising the public on the progress so far.
He particularly said that parley would acquaint journalists with details of its fourth circle which would commence in the state as from September 4th, 2025.
