SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
The Borno State Government has flagged off the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) Seasonal Malaria Chemopreventuon (SMC) Campaign in the state.
Deputy Governor Alhaji Usman Umar Kadaffur and Chairman High Powered Response Committee on Prevention and Control of COVID-19 flagged off the exercise on Saturday, appealing to parents and guidance to avail their children the opportunity to be administered with the anti malaria drugs.
The Deputy Governor who commended the WHO and partners for implementing the healthcare policy and carrying out the campaign across the state, said the exercise will help in reducing and preventing effects of malaria among children in the society.
In the same vein, while flagging off the campaign in a symbolic demonstration in his palace on Saturday, the Shehu of Borno, HRH, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Ibn Umar El Kanemi, urged WHO to carry out the SMC campaign to the door steps of the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps in the state .
Describing the children of the IDPs as most Vulnerables, the royal father further charged WHO to reach out to the children of th host communities who are also vulnerable while calling on parents and guidance to allow their children to be administered with the anti malaria drugs to better their health.
He also thanked WHO for carrying out the campaign in the state in the interest of the children and their parents enjoining WHO to continue to implement more healthcare services delivery programmes for the displaced people.
Earlier, the WHO State Coordinator, Borno State, Dr Audu Musa Idowu, who led the WHO Malaria Team to the Shehus palace said, “the reason we are at the Shehus Palace is to seek your fatherly blessing and urge you to kick start the SMC Campaign by administering the anti malaria drugs in a symbolic manner to your children and grand children from 3 months to 59 months to prevent malaria infection among the age group as we approach the peak of malaria season”.
“This will reduce significantly morbidity and mortality among children”, Idowu said.
Director, Primary Health Care (PHC), MMC, Borno State, Shettima Abdulaziz introduced the WHO Team and programme to the shehu of Borno as well as the age bracket for the implementation.
He also solicited for the blessing of the royal father for free and fair implementation of the programme across the MMC and state at large.
The National Consultant, Malaria Emergencies, WHO, Dr Iniabasi Nglas said in an interview that the campaign was to cover 25 accessible LGAs out of the 27 LGAs of the state due to security challenges.
She noted however that when the security situation improves, helicopters will be used to reach out to the other two inaccessible LGAs for now, namely, Abadam and Marte LGAs.
According to her, WHO is implementing the anti malaria drugs adminstration because this is the peak of the malaria season, July, August, September and October every year which is period of 4 months.
“The drugs are Administered to reduce the infection in a 4 circle. This is just the first circle. Others will follow subsequently. And the drugs are administered using house to house team to inform, educate and enlighten the people on the significance of the anti malaria drugs administration which boost the children immunity”, Nglas said.
The National Team Leader, Prevention of Malaria, National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr Aisha Bintu Gubio told newsmen in an interview that “this Campaign us being implemented in 9 states of the federation (Nigeria) that are within the Sahel region and only in 25 LGAs of Borno state for a period of 4 days with a target of over 2 million children to be administered”.
“We don’t envisage any resistance as such as our house to house team will go round, house to house and street to street to enlighten, educate and administer the anti malaria drugs to children from the age of 3 months and 59 months which is the age bracket.”
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