News

Plateau Records Major Decline In Malaria Prevalence -Commissioner

Published

7 months ago

April 26, 2026

By Blessing Odega

The Plateau Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, says the state has recorded a significant decline in malaria prevalence.

Baamlong said this on Saturday, at the 2026 World Malaria Day Symposium organised by Malaria Consortium in collaboration with the State Malaria Eradication Programme (SMEP).

He said that based on the Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS), Plateau moved from 18.8 per cent prevalence in 2021 to 2.8 per cent prevalence rate in 2025, which showed a significant decline in malaria cases especially among children aged three to 59 months.

“Data from NMIS shows a dramatic and unprecedented decline in malaria prevalence 0f 18.8 per cent in 2021 (NMIS) to 2.8 per cent in 2025 (NMIS).

“This represents an extraordinary 87 per cent reduction, the highest recorded decline among all states of the Federation and the FCT,” he said.

The commissioner further said that Plateau, in 2024 and 2025, through the State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) with support from Malaria Consortium achieved 100 per cent coverage in its seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), implementation, which reached one million children aged 3-59 months old .

He said the prophylaxis was administered monthly from June to October during the peak of malaria transmission in over 12,000 communities across 787 catchment health facilities in the 325 wards of the state.

According to him, the act has led to a drastic decrease in the number of children who developed fever in our health facilities due to malaria disease.

Baamlong, said the state ministry of health through the State Malaria Elimination Program and Development partners such as the Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) were supporting 406 facilities with commodities for people to have access to free testing and treatment especially children under five years and pregnant women.

He further said that this act had significantly reduced Child and Maternal Mortality across the state.

Baamlong attributed the state’s success in malaria elimination to strategic planning, strong leadership, effective partnerships and community engagement.

He said for the state to attain a zero malaria status it was pertinent to strengthen community ownership of malaria prevention, ensure consistent use of insecticide-treated nets, promote early testing and prompt treatment.

He further called for expanded preventive therapies for children and pregnant women and the need to invest in new tools, improve data systems and surveillance and increase domestic financing for health.

Similarly, SMEP Programme Manager, Kizito Ndak, explained that the seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention administered to children under five years was aimed at reducing malaria cases among children three to 59 months old especially during the rainy season when prevalence was highest.

Ndak said, “No child under five should die of malaria, as the SMEP in collaboration with Malaria Consortium had prioritised prevention with the deployment of 7,878 community drug distributors across the 325 wards in the state to administer the medication from house-to-house.”

Kizito noted that Plateau emerged first among all Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention implementing states in Nigeria.

He attributed the feat to strong political will, community engagement, and timely government counterpart funding.

Earlier, Dr Maxwell Kolawole, Malaria Consortium’s West and Central Africa Programmes Director, said that no fewer than one million children in Plateau received the free seasonal malaria chemoprevention drugs in 2024 and 2025.

Kolawole, who was represented by Dr Mashor Mbwas, the State Project Manager for Malaria Consortium in Plateau, said children between three months to 59 months of age were given the preventive prophylaxis.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that World Malaria Day is commemorated annually on April 25. (NAN)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

News

Those criticising APC on insecurity did nothing for 20 years – Yari

Published

1 hour ago

November 14, 2026

PlateauReports

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, APC-PCC, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, has criticised those accusing the ruling party of failing to address insecurity, saying they did nothing to tackle the problem for over 20 years.

Yari made the remarks on Saturday during the APC presidential rally in Jos, Plateau State, while defending the administration of President Bola Tinubu against criticisms over its handling of insecurity.

“Those who are saying we don’t have a plan for security, I want to remind them that they did nothing about insecurity for over 20 years because it started during their time,” Yari said

The former governor of Zamfara State assured Nigerians that the APC would implement its manifesto, adding that the party expected to achieve almost all its promises by 2031.

Yari also expressed confidence in the APC’s chances in Plateau State ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said political leaders and influential figures in the state had assured President Tinubu of their support.

Yari further praised Tinubu’s leadership, particularly over the increase in revenue accruing to the Federation Account.

He recalled that the President inherited a federation account balance of N732 billion in June 2023, but said the figure had since risen to trillions of naira.

News

2027: We won't endorse any politician, political party – Yoruba Imams, Alfas

Published

1 hour ago

November 14, 2026

PlateauReports

The League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland has declared that it would not endorse any politician or political party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of the League, Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Adam Abdullahi El-Ilory, made this declaration at the opening of a three-day conference organised by the League for Imams, Alfas, political office holders and traditional rulers.

The event, which took place in Ibadan on Saturday, was attended by Governor Seyi Makinde, President of the League, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere, Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abdulganiy Abubakar, Alfa Agba of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abdulbari Adetunji, Grand Mufti of Yorubaland, Sheikh AbdulRasaq AbdulAzeez Ishola, Secretary General of the League, Sheikh Mustapha Oseni Adewale Hamzat and Chairman, Oyo State Pilgrim Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) Sheikh Hashim Atere and Professor Kamil Olosho.

Others are Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Daud Akinola, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Afolabi Olaoye, Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba Bashir Abioye, Professor Amidu Sanni, Professor Adam Surajudeen and Iyalode Adini of Yorubaland, Alhaja Sedeekat Aderibigbe, alongside other notable Islamic clerics, scholars and Muslims from Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos and Ondo states.

Abdullahi El-Ilory while speaking on behalf of the League, explained that the group cannot declare support or announce any politician or political party as its choice for the forthcoming general elections.

He explained that the only thing the League can do and is still doing is to pray to God to give Nigerians credible leaders that will make life more meaningful for the citizens.

Abdullahi El-Ilory said, "We are religious leaders, we are not politicians, but we are the fathers of politicians. We will not declare support for any political party or politicians.

"We the league of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland cannot declare support or announce our support for any politician or political party. We can only pray to God for Him to give us credible leaders."

Makinde, while addressing the gathering, urged Nigerians to see themselves as one.

He advised Muslim clerics not to allow people to use religion to cause confusion in the forthcoming general elections.

Kewulere, in his contribution, noted that the focus of clerics should be to guide the people and preach the religion of Islam.

He said, "We are not politicians. An Imam is not supposed to be involved in politics. Our focus should be to guide people and preach the religion of Islam in line with the Islamic principles."

Ishola, on his part, explained that the programme was organised in order to ensure unity and cooperation among Muslims in Yorubaland before, during and after the general elections.

2027: We won’t endorse any politician, political party – Yoruba Imams, Alfas