The Kaduna State Government says it has concluded plans to administer Azithromycin (antimicrobial resistance drug) on 2.8 million children in the state.
The State Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, made this known at the inauguration of the safety and antimicrobial resistance of mass administration of Azithromycin( SARMAAN II) project in Kaduna on Monday.
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Ms Balarabe said the mass administration of Azithromycin is for children between ages one to 59 months.
According to her, children under five and pregnant women, have continued to show traits from the disease that should no longer claim lives.
“This darkens our days, diminishes our dreams and dents our consciousness. Each child lost to preventable illness represents not just a family grief but our society greatest failure,” she said.
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“Phenomena, sepsis and diarrhea have continued to steal away thousands of young lives annually, robbing families of their joy, communities of their hope and state of its brightest future.”
She added that the research component would be led by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in collaboration with the federal and state ministries of health, national agencies such as Nigeria Centre of Disease Control and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency as well as international partners.
The Commissioner for Health, Umma Kaltum-Ahmed said the SARMAAN II project represents a critical step in the state commitment to reducing under-five mortality by providing Azithromycin to children aged one to 59 months across all the 23 local governments.
Mrs Kaltum-Ahmed said the initiative is a collaborative effort between the Federal Ministry of Health, Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Malaria Consortium, NIMR, NAFDAC, and Solina Health (SCIDaR), among others.
She appreciated the invaluable contributions of the traditional rulers, development partners, health workers, and community stakeholders whose dedication had continued to strengthen health systems and improve the lives of the citizens.
“This programme, which will run every six months, is not just a public health intervention, it is a bold declaration that Kaduna State prioritises the survival and well-being of our children,” she said.
“We are also generating essential data to monitor antimicrobial resistance and ensure the long-term sustainability of this intervention.
“As we commence this phase, let us remain focused, collaborative, and driven by the shared goal of saving lives and securing the health of our future generations.”
Earlier, the West Africa Director, Malaria Consortium, Maxwell Kolawale said the aim is to reduce mortality from common childhood illnesses.
Mr Kolawale added that over 16,000 personels had been trained and employed which reiterated the scheme ambition to the project.
According to him, the project is not only about drug administration but also a bold step towards reducing under five mortality, building resilience health system and improving health outcomes for a long time.
“It is also a unique opportunity for Kaduna State to lead the way of implementation of research as part of SARMAAN II; with funding from Gates Foundation.”
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He appreciated the state government for strong leadership and collaboration through the Ministry of Health ,state primary healthcare board, and all frontline health workers.
The Chairperson, Kaduna South Local Government, Yakubu Jarimi, appreciated the state and development partners for opportunity to host the event.
Mr Jarimi said the local government would key into the primary health system to ensure reduction in child and maternal mortality.
(NAN)
