Abuja: Stakeholders in the fight against malaria have launched a door-to-door prevention campaign targeting children under the age of five in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The campaign aims to reach no fewer than one million children with lifesaving antimalarial medicines during the peak transmission season. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), announced this during the inauguration of the 2026 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign at Durumi, Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the campaign is organized by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), HSES, FCT Malaria Elimination Programme, and Malaria Consortium, among others. Fasawe explained that the intervention would cover all six area councils of the FCT and target 1.02 million eligible children aged between three months and 59 months. Trained Community Drug Distributors will move from house to house to administer the antimalarial medicines free of charge, en
suring no eligible child is missed during the exercise. The first cycle of the campaign is set to commence on Thursday and run monthly for five cycles until October.
Malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death worldwide, though it is both preventable and treatable. Nigeria accounts for approximately 27 percent of global malaria cases and about 30 percent of global malaria deaths, with most deaths occurring among children under five years. Fasawe highlighted that the programme, which started in the FCT in 2022, had significantly contributed to reducing malaria prevalence among children. The territory recorded a 58 percent reduction in malaria prevalence, dropping from 18.8 percent in 2021 to 7.9 percent in 2025. She credited this success to collaborative efforts by development partners like Malaria Consortium in implementing malaria control interventions.
Fasawe urged parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children complete the full three-day antimalarial treatment every month thro
ughout the five-month campaign. She emphasized that the drugs are safe, free, and provide protection during the peak malaria transmission season, reducing hospital visits, saving family resources, and most importantly, saving lives. Residents are also encouraged to enroll in the FCT Health Insurance Scheme to reduce out-of-pocket spending on malaria and other health conditions.
Earlier, Dr. Jenifer Chukwumerije, Technical Specialist, Philanthropic Funding SMC at Malaria Consortium, remarked on the public health threats posed by malaria, noting Nigeria recorded 68.47 million malaria cases in 2024. The figure represents 24.3 percent of the global malaria burden, while accounting for 38.6 percent of malaria deaths among children under five. She stressed that SMC remains one of the most effective interventions in reducing malaria-related illnesses and deaths among children. In collaboration with national malaria programmes, the organization reached 23.52 million children in 2025 across several countries, includi
ng Nigeria.
Chukwumerije commended the FCT Administration for its commitment to malaria control and called for sustained government ownership and funding to ensure the long-term sustainability of the programme. Mr. Ogwuche Wilson, Desk Officer, FCT World Health Organisation (WHO), reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in reducing the malaria burden. The Chief of Durumi community, Tanko Anyidadubo, expressed gratitude for the intervention, reaffirming the community’s commitment to ensuring that every eligible child receives the medication in the drive toward a malaria-free Nigeria.