Gombe set to embark on door to door malaria campaign
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Programme Manager, Gombe State Malaria Elimination Programme, Ubayo Ali, says due to the endemic nature of the tropical disease the state would embark on door to door treatment, described as ‘Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention’.
Ali revealed that although this campaign as been active in Nigeria since 2014, the state is yet to carry out such campaign until now.
He noted that Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine Amodiaquine (SPAQ), would be administered to children between the ages of 3 to 59 months, adding that such would reduce malaria induced deaths in young Gombe babies.
The Programme Manager made this disclosure on Thursday, in his address at Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), grant state media meeting in Gombe.
Ali said, “The difference between the SPAQ is given to only children between 3- 59 months as preventive measure for malaria. Then the Sulfaxine Pyrimethamine (SP), is given to women who are pregnant for free for prevention of Malaria this will prevent them from having malaria.
“We are going to implement for the first time Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, although it happened first in 2014 but it is happening here for the first time. This is an activity that requires us to go house to house to give children from 3 to 59 months; what we call Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine Amodiaquine (SPAQ), is the drugs we are going to give to the children in their houses, that means it will be done door to door.
“We are going to involve more than 7000 adhoc staff in this activity, this includes the CSOs, CBOs and many others.”
While commending effort of partners, the Programme Manager, said their contributions have helped to reduce malaria induced deaths in the state, adding that across 352 facilities in the state Artemether and Lumefantrine is administered without charges to indigents.
“Artemether and Lumefantrine are provided with support from Global fund on routine bases in over 352 facilities in Gombe have Artemether and Lumefantrine because they are given free of charge. We have rapid diagnostic test kits in all the 352 facilities in the state. Malaria deaths have reduced significantly in Gombe.
“ACOMIN is doing well because it is not easy for someone to assist you in going directly into the communities, looking at what we are doing most especially the State Malaria Elimination Programme through Global fund because what they are doing is good and it is helping the malaria intervention in Gombe State.
“We have had support from Global fund where they are supporting the state with about 23 million USD. It is not coming in cash but in kind because they will atleast support us with over 3 million doses of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine Amodiaquine (SPAQ).
“They are going to provide over 2 million worth of Insecticide-Treated bed Nets which are for malaria intervention. Gombe State is doing it because they have provided counterparts funding most especially in procuring the warehouses where we are going to store the Insecticide Treated bed Net as well as procurement of Sulfaxine Pyrimethamine (SP), for pregnant women,” Ali added.
Also, State Coordinator, Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Mrs. Hassana Maisanda, noted that 7 LGAs are benefitting from her interventions, towards eliminating malaria scourge in the state.
She said, “The LGA’s are; Akko, Balanga, Dukku, Funakaye, Kaltungo, kwami and Yamalu Deba
“The Project will be referred to as Community-led monitoring (CLM), is a technique initiated and implmented by local community-based organizations and other civil society groups, affected groups or other community entities that gathers quantitative and qualitative data about services.
“The focus is on getting input from service providers, recipients of the services and the affected communities in a routine and systematic manner that will translate into action and change.”
