The pilot phase of the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin ( SARMAAN ) project conducted in Umunneochi Council in Abia state was successful and impactful, said the state Health Commissioner, Professor Enoch Uche during the Close-out ceremony at Umuahia, the state capital on Tuesday.

Federal Health Ministry was represented by Dr Oluseyi Omokore of the Child Survival Department, Country Director, Sightsavers. Prof Joy Shu’aibu was represented by Dr Teyil Mshelia, resident Abia state WHO director was represented by Dr Umoren.

The SARMAAN project was initiated to complement ongoing survival interventions in low and middle-income countries, with focus on reducing early childhood deaths in regions where infant and under-five aged mortality rates exceed 60 to 80 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The pilot project implementation done from 2022 to 2024 across 52 Councils in six states of the country , was through a collaborative partnership led by the Department of Family Health of the Federal Ministry of Health, and funded by the Gates Foundation.

The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research ( NIMR ) led the research arm of the project, SightSavers spearheaded the implementation, e-Health Africa managed the data systems while Corona Management Systems , alongside Speak Up Africa, led the communication efforts.

It was also made known that some key government agencies including the National Malaria Elimination Programme , National Primary Health Care Development Agency , and NAFDAC , were instrumental in ensuring regulatory compliance and operational success across the states.

Over 1.8 million infants were reported to have been treated across the six selected pilot states, and that this SARMAAMAN ( One ) project successfully demonstrated that the mass administration of Azithromycin to infants can be integrated into Nigeria’s existing health delivery systems in a safe, acceptable, and scalable manner.

The Abia Health Commissioner ( Prof Uche ) who was represented by his ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Ifenyinwa Blossom Uma- Kalu, a Medical Doctor, said that the
SARMAAN project embodies unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of children, the future of Abiac state, and that of Nigeria.

He said that early childhood mortality remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, and that in view of the rates demanding urgent and innovative solutions, addressing this challenge required a multi-faceted approach that not only treats the illness but also strengthens the state’s health systems and empowers the communities.

According to him, it was with this in mind, that ” we embraced the SARMAAN project, a bold initiative focused on the mass administration of Azithromycin to infants, an intervention with proven life-saving potential”.

” I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Health, for its vision and collaboration , to the Gates Foundation, for their generous funding. The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Sightsavers, e-Health Africa, Corona Management Systems, and Speak Up Africa, for their technical expertise and dedication”.

In his address, the Executive Secretary, Abia state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Kalu Ulu Kalu listed some significant milestones the Project achieved to include, demonstrating the safe and effective integration of mass Azithromycin administration into existing health systems, reaching substantial number of infants, maintaining stong safety profile for the intervention, , generating critical data on antimicrobial resistance including strengthening the capacity of the state health systems and empowering their communities.

Over 40,000 infants across all wards in Umunneochi Council were treated during this pilot phase while a strong safety profile was maintained with no serious adverse events recorded.

According to him, these achievements are a testament to the power of partnership and the commitment of all that were involved.

Elated by the success of the project in his Council, the Host Mayor of Umunneochi Council, Chief Sunday Nduka Afurobi, commended the state governor Dr Alex Otti for sustaining security in the area which he said, contributed to the success of the project

He posited that with the success of the project, Ummunneochi has become a rich Data Bank for related health matters hence he recommended that it should the Council Area should be consulted on data required for Millennium or Sustainable Development Goals, among others.

Some mothers who were in attendance with the their treated babies during the pilot project, testified in turns on the effect of Azithromycin administration.

Mrs Ume Hope said it addressed her babies rashes, Esther Umeh said it stopped her baby’s running nose while another woman said her baby reacted positively to cough after given the medicine. END