By KatsinaTimes Reporter
The Katsina State Government has officially flagged off the 2025 Integrated Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign, aimed at reducing malaria-related deaths among children across the state.
The flag-off ceremony, which took place on Monday, 28th July 2025, at the palace of the District Head of Mashi in Iyan Katsina, was led by the Honourable Commissioner of Health, Hon. Musa Adamu.
In his address, the Commissioner stated that the campaign targets children aged 3 to 59 months and aims to prevent malaria infections by distributing insecticide-treated nets and administering antimalarial drugs across all 34 Local Government Areas of the state.
“The integrated intervention will go a long way in reducing the burden of malaria among vulnerable groups, especially children, by preventing infections during the peak rainy season,” Hon. Musa said.
According to the Commissioner, the campaign will be executed in cycles. The first cycle will run through July and August, while subsequent cycles are scheduled for August, September, and October — the period when malaria cases are most rampant due to heavy rainfall.
He revealed that the Global Fund has supplied over 4.8 million insecticide-treated nets and 9 million doses of the antimalarial drug combination—sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine (SPAQ)—to be administered to more than 2.2 million eligible children.
In addition to commodities, thousands of trained personnel have been mobilised for the campaign. These include:
One State Technical Assistant and one Local Government Technical Assistant per LGA,
120 Training and Technical Administrators,
12,000 community mobilisers and distributors,
Community town announcers, and
Other ad hoc personnel.
The Commissioner also highlighted the Katsina State Government’s counterpart contributions, which include funding for non-eligible children’s medication, logistics, and other critical needs for the campaign's success.
“This effort is aligned with the administration’s health agenda to ensure the well-being of all citizens. We remain committed to strengthening healthcare delivery across the state,” he said.
He also listed notable health achievements in Katsina State, such as:
Renovation and upgrading of general and primary healthcare centres,
Provision of medical equipment and drugs,
Foreign scholarships for medical students,
New residency training allowances for doctors,
Establishment of a 16-bed dialysis centre at Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital,
Upgrading of Kafur health centre to General Hospital status,
Elevation of nursing and health science colleges to postgraduate levels,
Launch of the state health insurance scheme, currently covering over 100,000 residents,
Construction of a state-of-the-art Medical Diagnosis & Imaging Centre, among others.
To ensure effective execution, the state government has assigned campaign personnel to all 361 wards, and commodities have already been dispatched to health centres across the state.
Hon. Musa Adamu expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), implementing partners such as Management Science for Health, Society for Family Health, and Catholic Relief Services, as well as the Global Fund for their technical and financial support.
He also commended traditional and religious leaders for their role in community mobilisation and awareness, urging continued support from the public for a successful campaign.
The Commissioner concluded with a call for cooperation and unity, praying for peace and the well-being of all residents of Katsina State.
“May Allah bless Katsina State and protect the lives and properties of our people,” he said.
