By Stella Kabruk

The Kaduna State Government says it has concluded plans to administer Azithromycin (antimicrobial resistance drug) on 2.8 million children in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, made this known at the inauguration of the safety and antimicrobial resistance of mass administration of Azithromycin (SARMAAN 11) project in Kaduna.

Balarabe said the mass administration of Azithromycin was for children between ages one to 59 months.

According to her, children under five and pregnant women, have continued to face traits from the diseases that should no longer claim lives.

“This darken our days, diminish our dreams and dent our consciousness. Each child lost to preventable illness represents not just a family grief but our society’s greatest failure.

“Phenomena, sepsis and diarrhoea have continued to steal away thousands of young lives annually, robbing families of their joy, communities of their hope and the state of its brightest future,” she said.

She added that the research component would be led by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research 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 represented a critical step in the state’s commitment to reducing under-five mortality by providing Azithromycin to children aged 1 to 59 months across all the 23 local governments.

She said the initiative was a collaborative effort between the Federal Ministry of Health, Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Malaria Consortium, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (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.

“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,” she said.

Earlier, the West Africa Director, Malaria Consortium, Dr Maxwell Kolawale, said the aim was to reduce mortality from common childhood illnesses.

He added that over 16,000 personnel had been trained and employed which reiterated the scheme’s 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 11, with funding from Gates Foundation.

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 Chairman, Kaduna South Local Government, Yakubu Jarimi, appreciated the state and development partners for opportunity to host the event.

He said the local government would key into the primary health system to ensure reduction in child and maternal mortality. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joe Idika