270,000 Children in Six Oyo LGs Set to Benefit From New Seasonal Malaria Prevention Program

The OYO state administration, working alongside the Malaria Consortium, plans to distribute preventive medications for malaria to 270,000 children aged from three to 59 months across six local government regions between May and September.

This preventive measure against seasonal malaria focuses on children residing in the Sahel region during the highest risk times for contracting the disease. The incidence of malaria surges during the wet season in various local government areas including Saki East, Saki West, Olorunsogo, Irepo, Surulere, and Ogbomosho North.

At the Advocacy, Communication, and Social Mobilization (ACSM) core group meeting held at the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Taiwo Olarinde, who serves as the Malaria Consortium’s Oyo State Programme Manager, stated that beginning May 29, 2025, children will receive treatments consisting of two antimalarial drugs—sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine and amodiaquine—in five rounds over time.

Dr. Olarinde stated that children aged from three to 59 months old, who are healthy, not using any sulfur-based drugs, do not exhibit allergies to the chemical components of antimalarial treatments, and haven’t taken these medications within the past month, qualify for this treatment.

As she stated, the children will receive their medication doses with the caregiver observing directly and community drug distributors supervising as they go door-to-door throughout the initiative in the six specified local government regions.

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She stated that following the introduction of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in 2022 in Oyo State, there has been a notable reduction in both malaria deaths and cases.

"At the outset, the state reported a malaria incidence rate between 62% and 63%. Compared to those areas not supported by SMC, we've observed a significant decrease in malaria cases within all the SMC-assisted Local Government Areas (LGAs). By February, one out of these six local LGAs has seen this figure drop to around 39.6%," she further noted.

As per her statement, Oyo State is among the 21 states in the Federation set to begin implementation soon, according to NIMET’s forecast predicting an earlier start to the rainy season in Oyo, Kogi, and Nasarawa.

In 2024, Dr. Olarinde reported that approximately 260,000 children received medications for seasonal malaria prevention across those six local government areas, achieving an adminstration coverage rate of 99.2 percent.

She emphasized supporting the Ward Development Committees to curb malaria cases across the six Local Government Areas using seasonal malaria prevention measures and promoting the use of insecticide-treated bed nets for sleep protection.

Mr. Segun Adio, who serves as the State Coordinator for Civil Society on Malaria Control, Immunization, and Nutrition, emphasized the importance of making a concerted and purposeful effort towards altering behaviors related to malaria prevention.

He stated: "We found out that a significant amount of information isn’t reaching them. Therefore, we must be deliberate about it. Achieving behavioral shifts demands ongoing and constant efforts."

Mrs. Folake Adeyimo, the Malaria Elimination Program Manager at the State Ministry of Health, mentioned that the biannual ACSM gathering aimed to provide updates on malaria initiatives undertaken by various organizations, government departments, and community stakeholders. The meeting also planned strategies for celebrating the 2025 World Malaria Day.

She stressed the need for greater awareness about actions to take when experiencing malaria symptoms and highlighted the significance of using bed nets properly, along with promoting cleanliness and good hygiene practices as preventive measures against malaria.

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