The Abia State government has said the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin in Children in Nigeria (SARMAAN) project succeeded remarkably in the state.
The commissioner for Health, Enoch Uche, announced this in Umuahia, the state capital, during the close-out ceremony of the project executed in the Umunneochi local government area.
Represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Ifenyiwa Uma Kalu, Uche informed that the project “treated over 40,000 infants across all wards in the area.”
Appreciating the result, he noted “the SARMAAN project embodies our unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of our children, the future of our state, and the future of Nigeria”.
His words: “We have demonstrated that the mass administration of Azithromycin to infants can be integrated into our existing health systems in a safe, acceptable, and scalable manner”.
The commissioner, who further mentioned other medical milestones the project conducted from 2022 to 2024, noted that “the impact of SARMAAN extends far beyond the impressive statistics.”
He said, “It has generated a robust evidence base, forged new partnerships, and paved the way for informed policy decisions on child health.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Health for its vision and collaboration and to the Gates Foundation for their generous funding.”
“The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Sightsavers, eHealth Africa, Corona Management Systems, and Speak Up Africa, for their technical expertise and dedication.”
“Our dedicated health workers have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this project. Our community leaders and members, for their trust and participation,” he added.
In a remark, the country director of one of the partners, Sightsavers and co-investigator, Joy Shua’abu, said the project was implemented as a pilot phase (SARMAAN 1) in six states, including Abia.”
Represented by the country coordinator, Trachoma, and SARMAAN co-investigator, Teyil Wamyil-Mshelia, she expressed delight with the project’s conduct and outcome in the state.
She said, “The project is very significant to us and the federal ministry of health mainly because it touches the lives of future generations, our children.”
Other partners who delivered positive messages about the project were representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Records, and the World Health Organisation, among others.
Speaking to a cross-section of mothers present, Ginika Okorie, Hopelyn Umeh, and Esther Umeh, whose children were among the 40,000, testified about the project’s success.
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