The wife of Plateau State Governor, Helen Mutfwang, has launched the 2026 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign in Jos, targeting more than one million children.
Mrs Mutfwang, who was decorated as the SMC ambassador, reaffirmed her commitment to protecting children under five years old. She noted that while malaria remains a leading cause of child illness and death in Nigeria, Plateau has reduced its prevalence from 18.8 per cent in 2021 to 2.8 per cent in 2025.
She attributed this success to the World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended SMC intervention, which provides monthly preventive medicines to children aged three to 59 months.
The state has run the SMC programme since 2021 in partnership with the Malaria Consortium, an arrangement recently expanded to support routine immunisation in three local government areas.
“As a mother, I call on all parents to ensure every child receives free, safe SMC medicines each cycle,” Mrs Mutfwang said.
She commended her husband, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, and his “Time is Now” agenda, while thanking the Malaria Consortium, federal health agencies, and development partners for their contributions to reducing malaria prevalence in the state.
She also praised healthcare workers, community volunteers, traditional rulers, women’s groups, and youth organisations for their dedication.
Mrs Mutfwang urged families to sleep under insecticide-treated nets, seek prompt testing, and keep their environments clean to prevent mosquito breeding.
The Plateau Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicolas Baamlong, welcomed the SMC launch and encouraged parents to take advantage of the free medicines. He noted that the state’s malaria rate had dropped to 2.8 per cent, calling it a remarkable achievement.
The Project Manager of Malaria Elimination, Gizito Ndak, also commended efforts to reduce disease prevalence in the state and stressed the need for collective commitment to reach 756,000 children with SMC this year.
The campaign represents a significant step in Plateau’s ongoing battle against malaria, a disease that continues to claim young lives across sub-Saharan Africa.