By Hou Akot Hou
Health authorities in Northern Bahr El Ghazal state, in collaboration with international organizations, have launched a malaria treatment campaign targeting children between the ages of 6 months and 15 years.
The initiative, spearheaded by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, aims to provide essential medical care to vulnerable children during the peak malaria season, which typically runs from now until November.
“We are very glad for the launch of the treatment of our children as most of us can’t afford to buy drugs from the pharmacists,” said Adut Mou, a mother who brought her child to the vaccination center in Aweil.
Adut also expressed the need for more comprehensive healthcare services, including the treatment of other common childhood illnesses, such as pneumonia and typhoid, which can also be deadly during this period.
Luka Lual Aleu Jok, the health education focal point at Aweil Hospital, emphasized the importance of the community taking advantage of this opportunity and bringing their children to the designated treatment centers.
“This is an opportune time that the MSF, WHO, and the Ministry of Health have availed to our local population on an annual basis,” Lual said.
“We would appreciate if our people never hesitate to bring their children from six months to 15 years old.”
Jok acknowledged the challenge of reaching the remotest populations in the rural areas but noted that the Boma Health Initiative, through community health workers, will also be deployed to provide door-to-door treatment for malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea.
The malaria treatment campaign in Aweil is part of a larger effort by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, and other health partners to establish additional treatment centers in the coming months, as the malaria season is expected to peak.