By MARIE-THERESE NANLONG
Stakeholders in Plateau State have said stronger collaboration among government, development partners and local communities remains the most effective path towards eliminating malaria and reducing preventable deaths.
They stated this during a symposium held in Jos on Saturday to commemorate World Malaria Day.
The event had the theme: ‘Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must’ with the slogan: ‘Let’s Do It’.
The symposium brought together health officials, donor agencies and public health advocates to assess progress in malaria control and strengthen awareness on prevention and treatment.
Speaking at the event, Plateau State Deputy Governor, Ngo Josephine Piyo, disclosed that the state had made remarkable progress through the Ministry of Health and the State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP), supported by development partners under the present administration.
She said the 2024 and 2025 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaigns recorded over 100 per cent coverage across five implementation cycles between June and October 2024.
According to her, more than 12,000 ad hoc personnel were deployed during the exercise in collaboration with the Malaria Consortium.
She noted that the effort improved access to preventive treatment for vulnerable children.
Represented by the Chief Medical Director of the Hospitals Management Board, Dr Benjamin Sumi, Piyo also disclosed that the 2024 Insecticide-Treated Net distribution campaign achieved a 96 per cent success rate across the state.
She commended the wife of the governor, Mrs Helen Mutfwang, who served as Net Ambassador, alongside wives of local government chairmen, for supporting awareness campaigns and encouraging households to use treated mosquito nets.
Piyo further explained that support from the Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement and Supply Management project had ensured the steady supply of malaria commodities.
She listed the items as rapid diagnostic test kits, ACTs, IPTp drugs and Artesunate injections distributed to 406 health facilities across Plateau’s 325 wards.
The deputy governor noted that malaria prevalence in the state had dropped significantly from 18.8 per cent in 2021 to 2.8 per cent in 2025.
She described the achievement as evidence of the commitment shown by healthcare workers, donor partners and communities.
Piyo reaffirmed government’s determination to sustain the momentum until malaria is completely eliminated.
She urged residents to sleep under treated nets, clear stagnant water, seek testing before treatment and ensure proper antenatal care for pregnant women.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, praised the state government and development partners for maintaining consistent support for malaria interventions.
Also speaking, Malaria Consortium representative, Dr Mbwas Machor, disclosed that the organisation had worked with Plateau since 2021.
He said it had delivered preventive medicines monthly to over one million children aged between three and 59 months during peak transmission periods, adding that the intervention had helped reduce malaria cases and deaths among children under five.
Machor called for increased domestic funding and stronger community participation.
Coordinator of SMEP, Mr Kizito Ndak, said the goal was to reduce malaria prevalence from the current 2.8 per cent to zero.