Adamawa Govt Flags Off Mass Azithromycin Campaign, Targets 1.4 Million Children

The Adamawa State Government has launched the mass administration of Azithromycin under the SARMAAN II Project, reaffirming its commitment to improving child health across the state.

Speaking at the flag-off in Luggere, Jimeta, Yola North LGA, Professor Sofeme Jebson—representing Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, said the Fintiri administration remains focused on reducing childhood illnesses through smart, community-centered interventions. The campaign will reach children aged 1–59 months across all urban and rural communities.

She noted that integrating Azithromycin into routine health services will allow caregivers to access multiple essential services in one visit, improving overall health outcomes. She also urged the wives of the 21 LGA chairmen, decorated as “Advocates of the SARMAAN II Project,” to mobilize communities for maximum participation.

Commissioner for Health, Chief Felix Tangwami, represented by Permanent Secretary Dr. Zira Bubanani, said the exercise targets over 1.4 million children across the 21 LGAs. He confirmed that the state has received 2,902 bottles of Azithromycin suspension for the first phase and assured that all medicines meet national and international safety standards.

PHC Agency Chairman, Dr. Suleiman Saidu, and the SARMAAN II Project Manager, Dr. Sarah Simon, described the initiative as a major step toward reducing child mortality. They highlighted the WHO-recommended effectiveness of Azithromycin in lowering deaths from malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea in high-burden areas.

The event also featured the decoration of LGA chairmen’s wives as official advocates of the campaign.