The Federal Government has announced plans to roll out a new malaria prevention strategy for children under five in southern Nigeria, following positive results from pilot studies.
Dr. Nnena Ogbluafor, National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), revealed the initiative, known as Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC), at the National Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention Research and Policy Dissemination Meeting in Abuja.
The intervention targets areas with year-round malaria transmission, particularly in the southern states.
“Evidence from the field shows that children adhering to PMC are significantly protected from malaria, and severe cases have sharply declined,” Dr. Ogbluafor said, noting that the program complements existing tools such as insecticide-treated nets, antimalarial drugs, and the malaria vaccine.
Prof. Olugbenga Mokuolu, Strategic Adviser on Malaria Elimination to the Health Minister, explained that PMC addresses the unique challenges of continuous transmission in southern Nigeria, unlike Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), which has been successful in 21 northern states.
“Malaria prevention requires both vector control and drug-based protection. PMC has been piloted successfully and is now ready for broader implementation,” Prof. Mokuolu said, urging caregivers to utilize all preventive measures.
Dr. Akeem Bello, Osun State Director of Public Health, reported that PMC has already yielded positive results in eight local government areas, with plans to expand across the state.
WHO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Malaria Consortium pledged continued support for Nigeria’s malaria elimination efforts, emphasizing the need for government leadership, strong partnerships, and community participation to ensure no child dies from the disease.
