The Plateau State Ministry of Health, through its State Malaria Elimination Programme (SME-P) in collaboration with the Malaria Consortium, has officially launched the 2025 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign, targeting children under five years old across all 17 local government areas. The campaign will run from June to October 2025.
At the flag-off ceremony, Deputy Governor Hon. Ngo Josephine Chundung Piyo officially launched the programme and led the investiture of the First Lady, Barr. Helen Manasseh Mutfwang, as the SMC Ambassador for Plateau State.
In her keynote address, Hon. Piyo praised the First Lady’s commitment to child health and presented her with a special recognition award. She also commended the wives of the 17 LGA chairmen for their support as local champions of the SMC initiative.
“The remarkable progress we have made since inception of the SMC initiative in 2021 and the evidence of the reduction in malaria cases among our young ones is a testament to the dedication of this government in prioritizing health services for the people,” said Hon. Piyo.
She urged health workers, community leaders, and caregivers to collaborate towards achieving 100% coverage during the 2025 campaign, stressing the importance of public awareness and collective effort for a malaria-free Plateau State.
The First Lady, Barr. Helen Manasseh Mutfwang, highlighted the grave threat malaria poses to children, stating it is the third leading cause of death after pneumonia and diarrhoeal diseases.
She reminded participants that Nigeria accounts for 3 out of every 10 global malaria deaths and emphasized the need for intensified intervention during the rainy season.
“As the 2025 SMC Ambassador, I call on all the good people of Plateau State to take advantage of the SMC initiative to protect our children from malaria by ensuring all under-5 children have access to the SPAQ medications that will be distributed from house to house, for four days every month for the next five months from this month, June, to October 2025,” she declared.
To support this goal, over 11,000 ad-hoc personnel have been deployed in partnership with Malaria Consortium, and 800 health facilities have been activated across Plateau State.
She praised the 2024 SMC achievement of 97.7% coverage and called on mothers, caregivers, religious and traditional leaders to work together to reach every eligible child in 2025.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, stressed that the SMC campaign is critical during the rainy season, when malaria infections spike due to increased mosquito breeding.
He explained that children aged 3 to 59 months are most vulnerable and that untreated malaria in this age group can result in death. The house-to-house drug distribution aims to reduce severe cases and save lives.
Program Manager of the State Malaria Elimination Programme, Nrs. Ndak Zuhumnan Kizito, outlined the impact of the SMC initiative, noting the drop in malaria prevalence from 35.8% in 2015 to 18.8% in 2021.
Kizito said the programme aims to reach over 963,000 children in nearly 11,000 communities using 11,903 trained personnel. He emphasized the importance of combining SMC with other strategies like insecticide-treated nets and sanitation.
Representing Dr. Maxwell Kolawole, the West and Central Africa Programme Director of Malaria Consortium, Dr. Mashor Mbwas acknowledged that Nigeria bears about 30% of the global malaria burden. However, he expressed optimism, citing progress made through collaboration.
Dr. Mbwas praised the use of digital tools like ICD-14-legit-XMR to enhance accuracy, supervision, and accountability. He urged parents to ensure children complete the full three-day course and called on stakeholders to remain united, stating: “Let malaria end with us.”
Google has unveiled Gemini Intelligence, a new artificial intelligence initiative designed to transform Android devices into proactive digital assistants capable of completing tasks across apps and services with minimal user input.
The announcement marks Google’s latest move in the intensifying competition among major technology companies seeking to expand AI integration across consumer devices.
Gemini Intelligence introduces what Google describes as “agentic” AI capabilities directly into Android, enabling smartphones to perform actions such as booking appointments, organising shopping lists, navigating applications and completing forms automatically.
The rollout positions Android more directly against Apple’s AI strategy under Apple Intelligence, which the company introduced to bring generative AI capabilities to iPhones, iPads and Mac devices.
Google says Gemini Intelligence combines advanced AI models, Android software and connected hardware to create a more proactive user experience across smartphones, smartwatches, vehicles, laptops and smart glasses.
“It integrates premium hardware and innovative software to help you stay a step ahead by working proactively to get things done throughout your day, all while keeping your data private, and keeping you in control,” Google says.
The company says the new AI capabilities will first launch on Samsung Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 smartphones later this summer before expanding to additional Android devices later in the year.
A key component of the strategy centres on cross-application automation.
According to Google, Gemini Intelligence can complete multi-step tasks across different applications without requiring users to manually switch between services.
The company demonstrated functions including booking a fitness class, locating course information inside Gmail and automatically adding textbooks to an online shopping cart.
Google also showcased screen-aware AI functions capable of interacting with images and visual content displayed on devices.
In one example, users could open a grocery list inside a notes application, activate Gemini and instruct it to create a shopping cart containing all listed items for delivery.
The tech company also demonstrated how users could photograph a travel brochure and ask Gemini to search online for similar tour packages.
The announcement reflects a broader shift within the technology industry towards AI systems designed to perform actions rather than simply generate conversational responses.
Google is also extending Gemini Intelligence into the Chrome browser, where the company says users will gain AI-powered research, summarisation and automation tools.
New “Chrome auto browse” functions expected later this year will allow Gemini to assist with tasks such as booking appointments and reserving parking spaces directly through web interfaces.
The company additionally announced upgrades to Autofill with Google using Gemini’s “Personal Intelligence” capabilities.
According to Google, Android devices will be able to use information from connected applications to automatically complete more complex forms.
The company says the feature will remain optional for users.
“Connecting Gemini to Autofill with Google is strictly opt-in, meaning you choose if and when you want to connect to Gemini – and you can always turn this connection on or off in your settings,” Google says.
Google also introduced Rambler, a new AI-powered speech-to-text feature integrated into Gboard.
The feature is designed to convert natural speech into more polished written communication by filtering pauses, repeated words and conversational filler expressions.
According to Google, Rambler can switch between multiple languages within the same message using Gemini’s multilingual AI models.
“Whether you’re blending English with Hindi or any other combination, Rambler understands the context and the nuance, ensuring your message sounds exactly like you only more polished,” Google says.
The company says audio processed through Rambler is handled in real time and is not stored.
Alongside the software announcements, Google unveiled “Create My Widget,” a generative AI feature that allows users to build custom Android widgets using natural language prompts.
The company says Gemini Intelligence will also introduce updated Android interface elements based on its Material 3 Expressive design system aimed at reducing distractions and improving focus.
“Gemini only acts on your command and stops the moment the task is complete. All that’s left for you is the final confirmation,” Google says.
The expanded AI rollout highlights growing competition among technology companies seeking to position artificial intelligence as the next major interface for smartphones and connected devices.
Alongside Google and Apple, companies including Samsung and Microsoft are also increasing investments in AI-powered consumer technologies as the global smartphone industry shifts towards more integrated generative AI experiences.
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The serenity and peace of Kogot village in Vwang-Vom District, Jos South Local Council Area of Plateau State was on Tuesday night shattered, after gunmen suspected to be Fulani bandits invaded the community, killing a 78-year-old woman, Ngo Shettu Badung, and her 52-year-old son, Danjuma Badung.
Rwang Tengwong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association, BYM, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, said two other youths, identified as Peter Dung, 22, and Amos Bele Danbwarang, 19, were reportedly ambushed and shot dead before the attackers fled into nearby bushes, while several others sustained injuries in the attack.
Tengwong said the attackers struck at about 11:00 p.m. shortly after the military arrested eight local guards in Vwang at Danwal in Ganawuri Chiefdom.
According to the BYM Secretary, the attackers invaded the community at night when the residents had retired for the night and opened fire on the victims, throwing the area into panic as villagers fled for safety.
“People started running when the gunshots began. Residents were terrified because the attack happened late at night.
“By the time they were done and left the village, four people were confirmed dead, including Ngo Shettu Badung, a 78-year-old, and her 52-year-old son, Danjuma Badung. Two other youths, Peter Dung, 22, and Amos Bele Danbwarang, 19, were also ambushed and killed by the bandits.
“Several other people were injured as they tried to flee into the bushes for safety,” Tengwong said.
Tengwong, who described the attacks as barbaric and inhuman, lamented that they were part of the continued assaults on innocent indigenous communities in the state.
“The BYM hereby calls on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure justice is served, while urging governments at all levels to take decisive steps to end the persistent killings across Plateau communities,” he added.
News3 days ago
