Bauchi First Lady Launches Programme To Combat Malaria, Malnutrition

Bauchi State first lady, Hajia Aisha Muhammad, has launched the 2025 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) and Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) integration programme aimed at tackling malaria and malnutrition among children under five years in the state.

The initiative will involve house-to-house outreach across all 20 local government areas, targeting over two million children.

It is a collaborative effort between the state government and healthcare partners, including the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Leprosy (BACATMA).

Speaking at the launch yesterday, the first lady commended the state government for giving healthcare the needed attention.

Represented by the commissioner for women affairs and child development, Hajia Zainab Baban Takko, she urged development partners to continue collaborating with the state government in fighting against malaria and other diseases.

The executive chairman of BACATMA, Dr. Adamu Umar Sambo, said the integrated SMC+VAS programme was designed to boost immunity, enhance eye health and improve overall child nutrition in the state.

According to him, volunteer community distributors will carry out the intervention door-to-door, administering one dose of Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) and the first dose of Amodiaquine (AQ) to eligible children.

He added that approximately 25,000 ad-hoc personnel and national monitors from the Malaria Consortium will support the program’s rollout across all LGAs.