By Lilian U. Okoro
As the world marks World Health Day, the SARMAAN Project Initiative has reiterated its commitment to expanding its impact on advancing childhood illness survival across Nigeria.
Prof. Oliver Ezechi, Principal Investigator, SARMAAN Project and Director of Research, Clinical Sciences Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), made this known in a statement to commemorate World Health Day on Tuesday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Health Day is celebrated annually on April 7 to highlight critical global health priorities.
The 2026 theme, “Together for health. Stand with science,” focused on evidence-based health solutions, scientific collaboration, and the One Health.
Ezechi explained that the SARMAAN Project stands as a compelling example of what intentional, large-scale public health interventions could achieve.
According to him, from 2024 to 2026, the project has reached 15.76 million unique children aged 1–59 months across 10 Northern states in Nigeria.
He said it was with over 26 million doses of Azithromycin, delivering targeted interventions designed to reduce preventable childhood illnesses and deaths.
Shedding more light on the significance of the milestone, Ezechi said that in the first quarter of 2026 alone, 7,215,455 children were reached through Mass Drug Administration (MDA) across Kano, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Kaduna States.
According to him, these were not just numbers; they represent millions of young lives given a stronger chance to survival.
“The SARMAAN approach goes beyond implementation. By integrating community engagement, stakeholder dialogue, and communication for development, the project ensures that interventions are understood, accepted, and sustained at the grassroots level.
“This is in alignment with the spirit of World Health Day and it underscores the importance of inclusive, people-centered health solutions.
“The Day reminds us that health is a shared responsibility and a fundamental right. At SARMAAN, our work reflects this principle, ensuring that children, regardless of their circumstances, have access to life-saving interventions.
“Reaching over 15 million unique children since 2024 and more than seven million in just the first quarter of 2026 demonstrates what is possible when global priorities meet local action,” he said.
He, however, stated that the project focus goes beyond delivery, “We are committed to building trust, strengthening systems, and driving conversations that empower communities to take charge of their health.
Reinforcing the need for long-term sustainability, the Project Lead of the SARMAAN Advocacy Team, Ikechukwu Ofuani, highlighted the importance of transitioning from donor dependency to national ownership.
According to him, success of the SARMAAN Project is driven by strong collaboration among donors, implementing partners, researchers, and government ministries, departments, and agencies, reflecting the multi-stakeholder engagement.
He underscored the need to intentionally chart a path toward sustainability of the initiative.
“This means supporting the Government of Nigeria to progressively take ownership of the initiative by integrating it into national health priorities, funding frameworks, and implementation structures.
“True impact is not only measured by what we achieve today, but by what can be sustained tomorrow.
“As conversations around health equity, resilience, and access take center stage, SARMAAN’s impact reinforces a critical message: sustainable progress in child survival requires not only scale, but strategy, collaboration, and community ownership.
“On this World Health Day, we reaffirm our commitment to intensifying efforts, expanding reach, and contributing meaningfully to a future where no child is left behind through the SARMAAN project,” he said.
The SARMAAN Project, part of the regional REACH (Resiliency through Azithromycin in Children) Network, is a child survival evidence-based programme designed to reduce under-five mortality in high-burden states in Nigeria.
It implements Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of azithromycin through a government-led, multi-partner approach to ensure scalability,, sustainability, and system strengthening. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
