SARMAAN Project Advocates for National Ownership and Sustainable Funding in Child Health Programmes
The Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin in Nigeria (SARMAAN) Project has issued a strong call for enhanced national ownership and sustainable funding mechanisms for child health programmes across Nigeria. This appeal was made during the observance of World Health Day, emphasizing the critical need for long-term strategies to improve child survival outcomes.
Global Platform for Health Priorities
Speaking at the event, Oliver Ezechi, the Principal Investigator of the SARMAAN Project and Director of Research at the Clinical Sciences Department of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, highlighted that World Health Day serves as a global platform to spotlight urgent health priorities and mobilize action among governments, institutions, and communities. He noted that the day underscores the necessity to strengthen health systems, ensure equitable access to life-saving interventions, and address key challenges such as maternal and child health, mental health, and the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations.
Ezechi emphasized that health is both a shared responsibility and a fundamental right, pointing out that the SARMAAN Project's achievement of reaching over 15 million children demonstrates what is possible when global priorities align with effective local implementation. He described the project as a model for how large-scale, targeted public health interventions can significantly improve child survival rates.
Expanding Impact and Community Engagement
Between 2024 and 2026, the SARMAAN Project successfully reached 15.76 million children across 10 northern states, administering more than 26 million doses of Azithromycin through its Mass Drug Administration (MDA) strategy. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the programme extended its reach to 7,215,455 children in Kano, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Kaduna states, showcasing its expanding impact and effectiveness.
Ezechi explained that these interventions are designed not only to reduce preventable childhood illnesses but also to strengthen community engagement and acceptance. The project integrates communication for development, stakeholder dialogue, and community participation to ensure that interventions are well-understood, supported, and sustained at the grassroots level. He stressed that each figure represents a protected child and a supported family, with the project's focus extending beyond mere service delivery to building trust, strengthening systems, and empowering communities—an approach deemed essential for achieving sustainable reductions in preventable child deaths.
Transition to Nationally Owned Health Systems
Reinforcing the call for long-term sustainability, Ikechukwu Ofuani, Project Lead of the SARMAAN Advocacy Team, emphasized the urgent need to transition from donor-dependent models to nationally owned and driven health systems. He stated that it is critical to support the Federal Government in integrating child health interventions into national priorities, funding mechanisms, and implementation structures.
While acknowledging that donor support has been instrumental in driving progress, Ofuani noted that future gains must be anchored on domestic ownership to ensure continuity and resilience. He added that true impact should be measured not only by current reach but by the ability of programmes to be sustained over time within national systems, highlighting the importance of sustainable financing and strategic collaboration.
Collaborative Achievements and Future Commitments
The SARMAAN Project highlighted that its achievements are the result of robust collaboration among donors, implementing partners, researchers, and government ministries, departments, and agencies. This multi-stakeholder model aligns with global health priorities and reflects the collaborative approach promoted by the REACH Network, under which SARMAAN operates.
The project reaffirmed its commitment to expanding coverage, strengthening implementation, and contributing to ongoing efforts to improve child survival. It stressed that lasting progress will depend on sustained financing, strategic collaboration, and strong national ownership to ensure that no child is left behind in Nigeria's health initiatives.
