Health Workers Move To Curb Infant Mortality

As infant mortality rate in Nigeria remains high, with approximately 60 to 74 deaths per 1,000 live births as of 2023-2026, health workers in northern Nigeria are emerging as heroes in a nationwide push to save young children through the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin in Nigeria (SARMAAN) II project, a mass drug administration campaign targeting under‑five mortality with azithromycin.

In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the programme, Isah Abdu made available to our correspondent in Lagos, the project is led by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and partners such as Sightsavers, Malaria Consortium, AFENET, MITOSATH, eHA and SCIDaR.

According to him, the programme is a diverse workforce that keeps the intervention running, from high‑level researchers to grassroots medicine distributors.

‘’Many are local volunteers trained to give out drugs, collect health data and samples, manage digital systems and oversee logistics, all united by a shared commitment to end preventable child deaths,’’ he said.

Commenting on the programme, Haruna Adamu, who first served as an enumerator in SARMAAN I and now works as a data collector in SARMAAN II, the project is a personal mission.

According to him, he joined after he heard about it from his community leader, noting that the emphasis on prevention, early intervention and community engagement matches his values and his desire “to make a direct impact” in his community.

‘’That sense of purpose is echoed by Frederick Linus, a data collector in Dutse Local government Area of Jigawa State, who learnt about SARMAAN through his Head of Department at the Federal University Dutse, ‘’ he said.

He says the project offered a rare chance to reach “the underserved in the community” and describes visiting Sakwaya, a village off the Dutse–Kano road he never knew existed, where residents felt “forgotten” but were overjoyed to see the team.

Beyond the medicine in their bags, health workers say the work is really about building trust with caregivers and confronting misinformation.

Adamu recalls how, once parents clearly understood the purpose of the intervention, they brought their children forward willingly, and initial hesitation gave way to strong support.

He said it is high time more Nigerians knew SARMAAN is, “not just a short‑term campaign but a life‑saving intervention” that strengthens community health awareness and brings care to children who might otherwise be missed.

As SARMAAN II continues, health workers fan out across hard‑to‑reach communities with clipboards, phones and drug boxes, powered by a belief that every child deserves a chance to live a healthy life.

The second phase is being executed in 11 states in Northern Nigeria including Kaduna, Bauchi, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe and Zamfara.