By Rotimi Odofin
The Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) program has effectively reached eligible children in nearly all households across Kogi State, achieving a significant reduction in malaria prevalence from 24% to 16%, as reported by the 2021 National Malaria Indicator Survey.
These remarks were made by Dr. Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, during the launch of the 2026 SMC initiative in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.
The Commissioner highlighted that these achievements represent a major public health milestone, underscoring the effectiveness of collective commitment and collaborative efforts with partners.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Steven Momoh Aziz, the Honorable Commissioner, expressed sincere appreciation to His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the state governor, for fostering an environment conducive to the successful implementation of this commendable program. He emphasized the Governor’s personal involvement in previous SMC flag-offs, his strong support, and his commitment to the distribution of SMC commodities across the state’s 21 local government areas, which have significantly contributed to the program’s success.
He urged stakeholders to actively participate and collaborate to ensure the successful implementation of the 2026 SMC program, aiming to sustain the progress made and move closer to achieving a malaria-free Kogi State.
In his address, Dr. Stephen Olurotimi Ake, the Kogi State Program Manager for Malaria, stated that the inaugural meeting for 2026 is designed to strategize and implement efforts towards the successful elimination of malaria in Kogi State. He emphasized the importance of proactively engaging all stakeholders to ensure the safe and effective delivery of the program.Dr. Ake emphasized that the purpose and objectives of the meeting are to proactively engage all stakeholders to ensure the safe delivery of malaria commodities and to optimize the implementation of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) in Kogi State for the year 2026.
Also speaking, Pharm Andrew Okwulu, the state Project Manager of Malaria Consortium supporting the fight against the malaria surge in Kogi State, highlighted the significant impacts of Malaria Consortium which commennced it’s support to Kogi State in 2021. and the organization has been in existence since 2013. He stated that the organization remains committed to the complete elimination of malaria in the state within a short timeframe. Other speakers at the event expressed their sincere appreciation for the efforts of the state government and the Malaria Consortium in achieving significant milestones in combating malaria, particularly among children aged zero to five years.
The event also featured goodwill messages and discussions on strategies for community mobilization and advocacy to ensure the effective implementation of the 2026 SMC round. These discussions included campaign approaches, scope, and practical implications.
