Turkana is the first county to implement the new Seasonal Malaria Chemo-prevention (SMC) strategy to prevent the disease.
Officers from the County Government of Turkana, Catholic Relief Services among other stakeholders were informed of this latest development during a meeting to discuss the administration of SMC anti-malarial drugs (SP+AQ) to prevent malaria in children under-five in Turkana Central.
SP+AQ is a combination of malaria drugs that provide long-lasting protection from deadly parasitic disease, administered in five cycles at an interval of 28 days, to enhance high protection for malaria.
The county chief officer of Medical Services, Dr Gilchrist Lokoel, said: “Turkana county is glad to be the first county in Kenya to implement SMC strategy. Health is a shared function and working together will enhance the success of this new intervention for malaria prevention,”
Speaking during the meeting, Deputy County Secretary Albert Gamoe urged the team to advocate for SMC since it is a new strategy in the county.
The Director of Medical Services James Kidalio said the county team is committed to supporting the SMC strategy through administration of anti-malarial drugs.
The CRS project officer Seraphine Mwende asked the team to join hands in making the SMC strategy a success in order to address malaria menace in Turkana.
One of the researchers from Moi University, Joseph Kipkoech, said the findings of SMC intervention in Turkana Central will inform the national policy and roll-out in other counties.
Present were Turkana South Deputy County Commissioner Gideon Ombongi, Director Administration Locheria Chris as well as the Director Partnerships and Administration at Health department, Nancy Nyang’a.
