Thanks to support from the U.S. Government, malaria prevalence in children under five years old in Sokoto State has dropped from 9.7% in 2008 to 6.2% today. This significant improvement is credited to increased use of treated mosquito nets, better malaria testing methods, and the availability of effective medicines.
Out of all the people tested across Sokoto State, 354 individuals (27.29%) were found to have malaria. August recorded the highest number of cases with 72 infections, while March had the fewest with only 9 cases.
A breakdown by gender showed that more men were infected than women. Among 635 men tested, 192 (30.24%) were positive for malaria, while 162 women (24.47%) out of 662 tested were infected.
Age-specific data revealed that children aged 0–5 years had the highest infection rate, accounting for 123 cases (43.77%). Meanwhile, adults aged 36–40 years had the lowest rate, with 10 cases (9.8%). These figures highlight that malaria remains a year-round challenge in Sokoto State.
The Sokoto State Malaria Elimination Agency (SOSMEA) and the Malaria Consortium marked this year’s World Malaria Day under the theme “Malaria Ends with Us.”
The event was held at Sokoto State Specialist Hospital, led by Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Namadina, Special Advisor to the Governor on Malaria Elimination, and Hajiya Luba Hassan, head of SOSMEA.
Other attendees included SOSMEA staff, Mr. Faruku Namalam from the Malaria Consortium and his team, as well as officials from the Roll Back Malaria group across selected local governments.
Dr. Namadina praised ongoing efforts to combat malaria and noted that activities to mark World Malaria Day had started a day earlier at Achida Health Centre in Wurno. On the day itself, a rally was held from the Government House to the hospital. He prayed for the governor’s continued safety and good health.
Mr. Namalam stressed that World Malaria Day is not just for celebration but for action. He commended the choice of this year’s theme, emphasizing that eliminating malaria requires the involvement of everyone. He highlighted the Consortium’s efforts to support numerous health centers in local communities to strengthen malaria control.
He also called for cleanliness at home and in communities, stressing that malaria remains a major killer and that fighting it must involve both the government and the citizens.
Mr. Namalam shared a hopeful development: a malaria vaccine is now in use in three Nigerian states, and he expressed optimism that Sokoto will be included soon.
In her remarks, Hajiya Luba Hassan urged women to maintain clean environments and ensure their children sleep under treated mosquito nets, especially in areas close to dirty gutters where mosquitoes breed. She also advised early visits to health centers when malaria symptoms appear.
