Nigeria to Launch New Malaria Prevention Scheme for Under-Five Children in Southern States

The federal government has unveiled plans to adopt a new approach in the fight against malaria, focusing on children under five living in the southern part of the country. The initiative follows successful research trials that showed strong protection against the disease.

Dr Nnena Ogbluafor, National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), made the disclosure during the National Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention Research and Policy Dissemination Meeting in Abuja. She said the intervention, called Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC), was designed for areas with constant rainfall and uninterrupted malaria transmission, which are common in the south.

“Evidence from the field demonstrates that when properly administered, this intervention greatly shields children from malaria. We have also seen marked reductions in the severity of cases among those who complied with the dosage” Dr Ogbluafor explained.

According to her, PMC is in line with Nigeria’s broader child survival agenda and will strengthen existing tools such as treated mosquito nets, anti-malaria drugs and the recently introduced malaria vaccine. She urged caregivers to embrace the full package of interventions to accelerate malaria elimination across the country.

Although Nigeria has made progress in the fight against the disease, malaria still accounts for a significant number of childhood deaths. Experts say innovations like PMC could fast-track eradication. Prof Olugbenga Mokuolu, Special Adviser on Malaria Elimination to the Minister of Health, noted that no single strategy can wipe out malaria.

“Our methods must tackle both the vector and the disease. This means combining environmental control with drug-based protection” he said. Prof Mokuolu pointed out that while Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) has yielded results in 21 northern states, the south requires a different model due to year-round transmission.

He added, “This is why PMC was developed. Pilot studies have already shown that it is practical, and we are now working toward scaling it up in the southern states.”

The adviser also highlighted the role of citizens, stressing that prevention must start at the household level. “If we all take responsibility—by sleeping under insecticide-treated nets, keeping our surroundings clean and using preventive drugs when necessary—we cut off the parasite’s chain of transmission” he said.

At state level, encouraging results are already emerging. Dr Akeem Bello, Osun State’s Director of Public Health, said the programme has been piloted in eight local government areas with significant impact. “PMC provides preventive doses at regular intervals to protect under-five children. The early outcomes are promising, and we are collaborating with partners to extend it to all local governments in the state” he said.

International partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Malaria Consortium, pledged continued support. They stressed that political commitment, strong partnerships and grassroots participation are crucial to ensure no Nigerian child loses their life to malaria.