The Gombe State government recently welcomed a high-level delegation from the Malaria Consortium, led by its West and Central Africa programmes director, Dr. Kolawole Maxwell for an engagement meeting ahead of the launch of the SARMAAN II project—Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin in Under-Five Children in Nigeria.
During the visit, Maxwell met with key health leaders, including the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru and the executive secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency. He presented the goals of the SARMAAN II project, emphasising its potential to enhance child survival through the mass administration of Azithromycin to children aged 1–59 months. He highlighted the importance of aligning the initiative with the state’s health priorities and called for strong local support to ensure a successful rollout.
State health officials welcomed the initiative and expressed pride in Gombe being selected as a pilot state. They commended the collaborative approach adopted by the Malaria Consortium and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to partnerships that promote child health and malaria control. The officials expressed optimism about the project’s potential to significantly impact child survival rates.
Supported by the Gates Foundation, SARMAAN II is part of a broader strategy to reduce child mortality and strengthen public health systems. The visit was facilitated by the manager of the Gombe State Malaria Elimination Programme, Ubayo Ali and included national and zonal project leaders, Adaeze Aidenagbon, the SARMAAN II project director and the zonal project manager, Dr. Ishaya Daniel.
Gombe State remains committed to advancing child health and proudly champions innovative health interventions like SARMAAN II.
