By Habibu Harisu
An NGO, Sightsavers Nigeria, in collaboration with the Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency, has mobilised 87 District Heads to support the administration of azithromycin to 1.2 million children in Sokoto State.
Speaking at an engagement meeting on Thursday, Sightsavers State Team Lead, Mr Muhammad Ridwan, emphasised the importance of involving traditional rulers to strengthen community participation in statewide child health intervention programmes.
Ridwan, who represented the Country Director, Prof. Joy Shu’aibu, said the current exercise marked the fifth round of administration of the lifesaving intervention, noting that previous rounds recorded improved success with minimal challenges.
He explained that the programme operated under the SARMAAN project, formally titled Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin Among Children, aimed at improving child survival through preventive treatment.
According to him, SARMAAN is a government-led research initiative that emerged from findings showing wider health benefits of azithromycin distribution.
He said the programme targeted children aged zero to 59 months, particularly in communities affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases such as onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis, which contributed significantly to child mortality.
Ridwan emphasised the key role of traditional rulers in mobilising communities, noting that their past involvement had improved participation and strengthened health campaign outcomes.
He added that district heads were expected to cascade discussions to lower traditional authorities to improve awareness and coordination at community level.
He reiterated Sightsavers’ commitment under SARMAAN to reduce child mortality through expanded preventive drug administration and improved community health outcomes.
In his remarks, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruk Abubakar-Wurno, said the government had renovated health facilities, distributed motorcycles to rural immunisation officers, and provided refrigerators to strengthen the cold chain system.
Abubakar-Wurno said azithromycin remained a vital antibiotic in reducing childhood illnesses and improving survival rates among vulnerable children.
He commended Sightsavers and other partners for complementing government efforts and assured continued collaboration for improved healthcare delivery.
The Sultan of Sokoto, represented by the Wurno District Head, Alhaji Kabiru Cigari, pledged continued support for immunisation and health programmes, urging stronger cooperation between leaders and communities.
Cigari called on participants to take the programme seriously, emphasising that improved health outcomes depended on collective responsibility.
Also speaking, Sightsavers State Desk Officer, Mr Muhammad Ladan, said the organisation had been active in Sokoto since 1996, beginning with eye-care services and later expanding to support 19 healthcare centres.
He said the interventions had strengthened the capacity of health workers through specialised training and improved access to eye-care services in underserved communities.
Ladan added that Sightsavers also supported inclusive education, enabling visually impaired students to learn alongside their peers and progress to higher levels of education.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that azithromycin is a broad-spectrum macrolide antibiotic used to treat respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and other childhood illnesses.
It is administered in line with World Health Organisation guidelines for preventive treatment among at-risk populations.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
