Plateau State Flags Off 2026 Malaria Prevention Campaign, Targets Over One Million Childre
Plateau State Government has officially launched the 2026 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign as part of efforts to protect children from malaria and further reduce the disease burden across the state.
The flag-off ceremony, held at the Crispan Event Center in Jos, brought together government officials, healthcare professionals, development partners, community leaders, and other stakeholders committed to improving child health and malaria prevention.
The campaign is designed to provide preventive malaria medication to eligible children during the peak malaria transmission season, helping to reduce illness and deaths associated with the disease.
Speaking at the event, Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, commended the First Lady of Plateau State, Barr. Helen Mutfwang, for her commitment to the programme following her appointment as the 2026 SMC Ambassador.
He noted that her advocacy and support had significantly strengthened efforts aimed at protecting children from malaria across the state.
Dr. Ba’amlong also praised the State Malaria Elimination Programme, Malaria Consortium, development partners, and frontline health workers for their contributions to the successful implementation of seasonal malaria prevention initiatives.
The Commissioner further appreciated Governor Caleb Mutfwang for prioritizing healthcare and supporting programmes aimed at improving public health outcomes in Plateau State.
He called on community leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and wives of local government chairmen to actively support the campaign to ensure that every eligible child benefits from the intervention.
During the event, Barr. Helen Mutfwang was officially crowned the 2026 Ambassador of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaign in recognition of her dedication to the health and well-being of women and children.
Addressing participants, the First Lady described the campaign as another important step towards protecting children from malaria and improving healthcare delivery across Plateau State.
She revealed that malaria prevalence in the state had dropped significantly from 18.8 percent in 2021 to 2.8 percent in 2025 due to the combined efforts of government agencies, healthcare workers, development partners, and local communities.
“This achievement demonstrates that with strong leadership, effective partnerships, and community participation, malaria can be defeated,” she stated.
Barr. Mutfwang urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children receive the free preventive medicines during every cycle of the campaign.
She also commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Malaria Consortium, healthcare workers, and community volunteers for their continued commitment to the fight against malaria before officially flagging off the programme.
Speaking during the event, the Programme Manager of the Plateau State Malaria Elimination Programme, Nurse Ndak Kizito Zuhumnan, explained that the campaign was designed to mobilize communities and stakeholders to protect children during the peak malaria transmission period.
He disclosed that community drug distributors, health workers, and supervisors would begin house-to-house visits from June to October to administer preventive malaria medication to children aged three to 59 months across the state.
“The aim of this medication is to prevent children from coming down with malaria. We want to reach over one million children, and we urge parents and guardians to make every eligible child available for this free and safe intervention,” he said.
Zuhumnan noted that Plateau State had recorded remarkable progress in malaria control, attributing the success to the SMC programme and sustained collaboration among government agencies, health workers, development partners, media organizations, and community leaders.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the West and Central Africa Programme Director of Malaria Consortium, Dr. Maxwell Kolawole, Dr. Mbwas Mashor commended the Plateau State Government and its partners for their commitment to malaria prevention and control.
He noted that despite Nigeria’s high malaria burden, Plateau State had achieved significant progress in reducing infections through sustained interventions and effective partnerships.
According to him, the 2026 SMC campaign will target more than one million eligible children across the state.
Dr. Mashor reaffirmed Malaria Consortium’s commitment to supporting malaria elimination efforts and called for stronger government ownership, sustainable funding, and continued collaboration to maintain the gains already achieved.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Association of Primary Healthcare, Chundung Maina, praised Plateau State for strengthening its healthcare system through evidence-based planning and implementation.
She said the progress recorded in the state reflected stronger political commitment, improved investment in healthcare, and effective use of data in public health decision-making.
According to her, Plateau State is increasingly gaining national recognition as a model for health sector improvement, stressing that sustained commitment and adequate financing are essential to consolidating and expanding existing gains.
The 2026 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaign is expected to play a critical role in safeguarding children across Plateau State during the malaria season while supporting broader efforts to eliminate the disease and improve public health outcomes.
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