Kebbi LGAs See Significant Improvement in Vaccine Coverage

Dr. Oluwafunmilayo Ibikun, a public health specialist at the Malaria Consortium, reported significant improvements in malaria vaccine coverage in Kebbi Local Government Areas (LGAs) following the Enhanced Project intervention. The project, which included 34 baseline and 78 end-line assessments, utilized two intervention arms: Arm 1 in Sakaba LGA and Arm 2 in Koko Besse, alongside a control arm in Birnin Kebbi.

The project identified effective strategies to maximize health impacts in areas with high seasonal malaria transmission, leveraging two childhood intervention platforms: routine service-based immunization and house-to-house campaigns. Timely vaccination uptake improved to 91.6% by the end line, with overall malaria prevalence declining sharply from 13.6% at baseline to 1.7% at end line.

Hospitalization due to febrile illness also decreased from 8.4% to 2.8%. Mr. Usman Magaji, representing the Kebbi State Health Commission, expressed appreciation for the technical support provided by the Malaria Consortium, emphasizing the project's contribution to improving children's health and strengthening community health initiatives.