By Aliyu Bala Gerengi, Gombe
As global health leaders gather in Cape Town, South Africa, for the 18th World Congress on Public Health, Nigeria’s SARMAAN programme is attracting attention for demonstrating how large-scale child health interventions can be delivered while maintaining safety and monitoring antimicrobial resistance.
The congress is being held under the theme, “Health Without Borders: Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability,” with discussions focusing on antimicrobial resistance, health equity and the One Health approach.
Across eleven states in northern Nigeria, the SARMAAN programme has reached more than 16 million children with Azithromycin.
The programme combines large-scale delivery with safety monitoring and antimicrobial resistance surveillance, ensuring that expansion does not compromise public health safeguards.
Lead Investigator of SARMAAN and Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Professor Oliver Ezechi, says scientific rigour and large-scale delivery can work hand in hand.
Nigeria’s under-five mortality rate has declined from 132 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 102 deaths per 1,000 live births in the 2023–24 Demographic and Health Surveys.
Despite the progress, the figure remains significantly higher than the Sustainable Development Goal target of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births.
SARMAAN Champion, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, says true equity means ensuring that every child can benefit from life-saving health interventions, regardless of where they live.
In Jigawa State, First Lady Hadiza Umar Namadi highlights the important role of mothers, caregivers and communities in building trust and supporting the programme.
The SARMAAN experience demonstrates how government leadership, community trust and scientific evidence can work together to deliver health interventions at scale while prioritising safety and public health.
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