Bakel, June 28 (APS) – The health district of Bakel has been chosen for the first mass drug administration (MDA) campaign in Senegal as part of the fight against malaria, its chief physician, Goumba Lô, told APS.
“This is the first AMM campaign in Senegal. The Bakel health district was chosen to explore the pilot phase (…),” underlined Dr Lô.
He spoke on Thursday during a meeting to share information on the campaign with journalists, neighborhood delegates and “bajenu gox” (neighborhood godmothers).
Dr. Lô specified that “the first pass of the campaign” is planned from July 6 to 9, 2024. The duration of the treatment is three days with “an interval of six weeks before the second pass,” he indicated.
He explained the choice of Bakel by the fact that “a lot has been done” in this department in the fight against malaria.
“A few years ago, we had a lot of serious cases and deaths. But in the last two years, there is a decrease and we have a moderate transition,” added Bakel’s chief physician.
He nevertheless recognized that “much still remains to be done”
“For this campaign, the target is anyone aged three months and over. People with confirmed malaria and those living with chronic illnesses are excluded,” specifies Dr Lo.
He stressed that drugs based on dihydroartemisinin piperaquine and primaquine will be administered to reduce malaria.
Community relays will be trained from July 1, to go door to door after the launch of the campaign.
AND/ASG/SKS/OID
