Sokoto to administer malaria drugs to 1.8m kids

In a bid to mitigate the effect of malaria infection across Sokoto state, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has flagged off the house-to-house campaign for the administration of preventive drugs which targets estimated 1.8 million kids.

Speaking in Isa LGA of the state during the flag off, Tambuwal said “government has adopted many strategies in solving the menace of malaria and other health related diseases such as capacity building for the health personnel, provision of health care facilities and provision of essential drugs among others.”

He said his administration “would pay more attention to human resources development, equipping of health care facilities and provision of medicament for effective and efficient services to the people at the grassroots,” adding that ‎"the ongoing upgrading and renovation of health facilities at Yabo, Dogon Daji, Silame and Illela will soon be completed.”

While urging local government councils to give maximum support and cooperation to the programme, the governor commended development partners for their contributions as well as appreciated the efforts of Sultanate Council for the social mobilization of the programme.

The Commissioner of Health, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale, said the Ministry, in collaboration with Malaria Consortium, Ministry for Local Government and State Primary Health Care Development Agency, had trained health personnel to handle the exercise of attending to children of 3- 59 months of age. He disclosed that the exercise would target 1.8 million people.