By Rotimi Odofin
Lokoja, June 10, 2026 — The Kogi State Government4 has announced plans to reach over 240,000 children aged 5–14 years across 39 wards in 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) during the 2026 Schistosomiasis Mass4 Administration of Medicines (MAM) campaign scheduled for June 22–30, 2026.
The target was unveiled during a two-day state-level planning meeting organized by the Kogi State Ministry of Health’s4 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Control Programme in collaboration with Sightsavers.
The meeting focused on developing strategies to achieve the 2026 treatment targets, validating drug quantification, strengthening micro-planning, and finalizing implementation timelines for the campaign against schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzia.
Declaring the meeting open, the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullazeez Adams, described schistosomiasis as a persistent public health challenge affecting school-age children, farmers, fishermen, and communities living near freshwater bodies.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Maji Enoch, the commissioner noted that the disease contributes to poor school attendance, reduced productivity, and adverse health outcomes among affected populations.
He said the planning meeting would assess previous campaign performances, strengthen social mobilization efforts, improve training forr teachers and Community Drug Distributors (CDDs), and place greater emphasis on data quality, equity, and beneficiary safety.
Dr. Adams commended Sightsavers and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for their continued technical and financial support, urging all participating LGAs to sustain collaboration in order to “reach the last child in the last community.”
Speaking at the meeting, the National Programme Manager of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Jacob Solomon, said Nigeria remains committed to achieving the World Health Organization’s 2030 target for the elimination of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis as public health problems.
He described Kogi State’s progress since the baseline disease mapping exercise as significant and encouraged stakeholders to remain committed to reaching underserved communities.
Dr. Solomon also clarified that the programme targetsr all children between the ages of 5 and 14 years, including both in-school and out-of-school children.
The State NTD Coordinator, Mr.r Musa Momohjimoh, explained that the intervention would deploy Praziquantel treatment in 39 endemic wards identified through a 2015 survey ande aligned with revised WHO recommendations.
According to him, teachers will administer the medication in schools under ther supervision of health workers, while Community Drug Distributors will ensure that out-of-school children are reached.
He added that radio jingles, community engagement activities, and collaboration with religious and traditional leaders would be used to increase awareness and participation.
Also speaking, Sightsavers Programme Officer, Mrs. Phoebe Hindan,e emphasized that treatment would be administered only in wards where evidence has demonstrated a need for intervention.e
She described Praziquantel as a safe and effective medicine that has been successfully used in Kogi State for more than a decade and urged parents to allow their children to participate in the exercise.
Mrs. Hindan noted thatr misconceptions about the medicine had contributed to refusals during previous campaigns4 and warned that untreated schistosomiasis could lead to serious health complications later in life.
The government said the exercise would cover public schools, private schools, and out-of-school children, while advising parents and guardians to contact the State Ministry of Health for further information and enquiries.
Mr. Salihu Usman, a participant and former Education Secretary of Kogi LGEA, expressed confidence in the preparedness of stakeholders and assured the government of their commitment to delivering a successful and result-oriented Mass Administration of Medicines exercise.
