NON GOVERMENTAL ORGANISATION CHARGES STAKEHOLDERS TO STEP UP EFFORTS TOWARDS REDUCING INFANT MORTALITY IN BAUCHI STATE
By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:
Stakeholders in Bauchi State have been called upon to step up efforts in combating preventable diseases that contribute to high rate of child mortality.
The Programme Manager Solina Centre for International Development, Mrs.
Ijeoma Mmirikwe, during a stakeholders’ engagement and inception meeting for the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin among Children aged 1 to 59 months (SARMAAN II) project.
Mrs. Mmirikwe emphasized that Bauchi was chosen as a priority state due to its high under-five mortality rate, noting that Nigeria accounts for 29% of under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, with Bauchi being among the most affected states.
She urged stakeholders to collaborate effectively with implementing partners to ensure the successful distribution of Azithromycin Oral Suspension, a key intervention to save childrens lives.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Director MITOSATH, Mrs. Ijeoma Achu George, and the Programme Manager MITOSATH explained that SARMAAN II project is a scale-up of the previous SARMAAN I project, which had been implemented in select locations.
Mrs George, said the expanded program now covers 11 states, including Bauchi, with a core objective of reducing child mortality through mass administration of Azithromycin across the states 20 local government areas.
She highlighted that 60% of child deaths in Nigeria are caused by microbial infections, making Azithromycin a critical solution in the fight against these deadly diseases.
The MITOSATH Programme Manager said the distribution of the drug is expected to continue for four years, ensuring that every child aged 1 to 59 months in Bauchi receives the treatment.
On his part, the Bauchi State Coordinator for Neglected Tropical Diseases at the Primary Health Care Board, Alhaji Nasiru Haruna Zwall, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the programs success, stressing that relevant stakeholders have been identified to play key roles in the exercise, ensuring transparency and effective implementation.
He outlined the expected outcomes of the engagement meeting, including, Comprehensive understanding of the SARMAAN II project, its objectives, and expected impact, assessment of the current implementation status to enhance integration with SARMAAN II, Strengthening state-level commitment and ownership through symbolic program support.
