The Federal Ministry of Health has initiated a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in School-Aged Children (IPTsc) in regions of Nigeria heavily impacted by malaria.
The initiative was launched on Thursday in Abuja by Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, during a key meeting of the National IPTsc Research and Uptake Task Team. The event saw participation from representatives of the World Bank, various ministries, departments, agencies, academia, development partners, and health advocates.
Dr. Alausa explained that the study aims to assess the protective effects of combining sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine (SPAQ) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHP) among schoolchildren aged five to 12 years in Sokoto and Cross River states.
“The pilot study, scheduled to run from September 2024 to December 2025, is designed to generate evidence that will guide policy development and potentially scale up IPTsc nationwide,” Dr. Alausa stated.
He emphasized that this intervention is expected to complement existing malaria prevention strategies, including the use of insecticide-treated nets, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, and intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy. The study will also enhance malaria surveillance and treatment outcomes across Nigeria.
Dr. Alausa highlighted the significance of this study in addressing Nigeria’s substantial malaria burden, which accounts for a significant proportion of global malaria-related deaths. He noted the current lack of sufficient evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of IPTsc in Nigeria, underscoring the importance of the pilot study in filling this knowledge gap.
The minister also introduced the task team responsible for the study, composed of experts from various ministries, departments, agencies, academic institutions, and professional organizations. The team includes representatives from the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the Federal Ministry of Health.
“This study will provide the Nigerian government with critical data to make informed decisions on deploying this intervention to complement other tools, especially in the context of sub-national tailoring and adopting appropriate intervention mixes,” Dr. Alausa said. “The task team’s role is to facilitate decision-making on IPTsc based on the study’s findings.”
The meeting concluded with a strong commitment from all stakeholders to work towards improving Nigeria’s health outcomes, in alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s strategic blueprint for universal health coverage. This blueprint emphasizes saving lives, alleviating physical and financial pain, and enhancing overall population health across the country.
Daju Kachallom, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, described the study as a significant advancement in Nigeria’s fight against malaria. She expressed confidence that the data generated from the study would lead to better health outcomes for school-aged children and the nation as a whole, reducing malaria-related morbidity and mortality, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Dr. Shekarau Emmanuel, an epidemiologist and malaria case management specialist at the National Malaria Elimination Programme, outlined the systematic selection of states, local government areas, and schools involved in the study. He noted that the study aims to reach 200 children per school, reflecting a targeted approach to malaria prevention and education.
Dr. Emmanuel also highlighted the absence of resistance to malaria treatments in Nigeria, based on recent therapeutic efficacy studies, and commended the effectiveness of current treatments along with proactive monitoring by the National Malaria Programme. He noted the strategic use of multiple artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to prevent overburdening any single treatment method.
The selection of Sokoto and Cross River states was deliberate, representing Northern and Southern Nigeria. “The consideration of resource constraints in the selection process underscores the practical challenges faced in implementing public health interventions,” Dr. Emmanuel added.
