The Federal Government has finalized plans to implement Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention across 21 eligible states, encompassing all 19 Northern states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Oyo State. This initiative aims to provide malaria preventive medicines to approximately 29 million children under the age of five, marking one of the largest child-focused malaria prevention efforts on the continent.
Expansion of Insecticide-Treated Nets Distribution
In addition, the government, with support from partners, will expand access to Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) this year in 11 states that have not had a net distribution campaign for over seven years. These states include Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Borno, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Abia, Kogi, Osun, Kwara, Adamawa, and the FCT. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, disclosed this yesterday at the event to commemorate the 2026 World Malaria Day in Abuja.
Impact of ITN Distribution
Dr. Salako noted that over 500 million ITNs have been distributed across the country from 2015 to date, adding that this intervention remains one of the most effective ways to protect families, especially children and pregnant women, from malaria infection. He emphasized that continuous distribution of ITNs has increased household access and use, while routine ITN distributions through antenatal care clinics and immunization programs have improved population coverage, contributing to reduced transmission in high-burden areas.
Pioneering New Frontiers
The minister stated that the government is pioneering new frontiers, observing that the process to pilot Larval Source Management (LSM) for the first time in six states—Abia, Borno, Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, and Rivers—has advanced significantly. This novel approach targets mosquito larvae to reduce malaria transmission at its source.
