Children in five Bono East Districts would from today receive lifesaving Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMS) treatment which involves giving children under age five (5), full malaria treatment courses intermittently, during the Malaria season.

This intervention, is being introduced in five Districts of the Bono East Region, for the first time, with the aim of preventing Malaria in children, during the high Malaria transmission season.

Deputy Director of Public Health Dr. Paulina Appiah says the SMC targets children aged 3–59 months in the Northern part of the country during the short, but intense, Malaria transmission season.

According to her, under SMS, “children are given monthly courses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and amodiaquine (AQ) for up to 4 months. Each month, AQ is given in daily doses for 3 days, and is given with single-dose of SP on the 1st day.”

She adds that 5 Bono East Districts namely, Kintampo North, Pru East, Pru West, Sene East and Sene West are for the first time being part of this exercise due to the weather pattern of the area.

The Bono East Regional Minister, Kwasi Adu-Gyan, who was a Special Guest at a brief programme to launch the exercise, called on all stakeholders across the region, to support the initiative which, “would help prevent Malaria amongst children”.

He said the move has over the years, “proven to be cost-effective and efficient in the prevention of Malarial illnesses during the peak Malaria seasons”.