Day of the African Child: Stakeholders Call for Institutionalization of SARMAAN as National Child Survival Priority

As Nigeria joins other African nations to commemorate the Day of the African Child, stakeholders in child health, research, and public policy have called for the sustainability and institutionalization of the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin Among Children (SARMAAN) Project as a national priority for child survival.

Observed annually on June 16, the Day of the African Child serves as a reminder of the continent’s collective responsibility to safeguard the rights, health, and future of its children. 

This year’s commemoration provides an opportunity not only to reflect on the challenges facing children across Africa but also to highlight proven interventions capable of saving lives and improving health outcomes.

In Nigeria, the SARMAAN Project has emerged as one of the country’s most significant child survival initiatives. The project generates evidence on the safe administration of azithromycin while supporting efforts to reduce preventable illnesses and deaths among children under five.

Implemented through a multi-partner collaboration involving the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), government institutions, development partners, advocacy groups, and state-level stakeholders, the project has reached over 16 million children across 11 northern states.

Stakeholders noted that the success of SARMAAN demonstrates the potential of evidence-based interventions in improving child health outcomes.

However, they cautioned that sustaining these gains will require deliberate efforts to integrate lessons learned, strengthen domestic ownership, and embed such interventions within existing health systems and policies.

Speaking on the project’s impact, the Project Lead of the SARMAAN Advocacy Project Team, Ikechukwu Ofuani, said the initiative has proven effective in reducing preventable childhood illnesses and deaths.

“Drawing from extensive engagement with policymakers, health institutions, development partners, and community stakeholders, SARMAAN has evolved beyond a standalone project and should now be recognized as a strategic national child survival intervention,” he said.

Ofuani stressed that institutionalizing the project would safeguard existing gains while enabling expansion and long-term integration into Nigeria’s healthcare system. He added that government ownership must define the next phase to ensure sustainability beyond donor support.

Also speaking, Demilade Osoteku of the Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR) described SARMAAN as a practical, scalable, and high-impact intervention, particularly for underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

According to her, the project goes beyond drug administration by strengthening critical systems such as microplanning, supply chain coordination, community engagement, implementation monitoring, and data-driven decision-making.

“At a time when Nigeria continues to face preventable child deaths from malaria and other illnesses, SARMAAN provides a tested platform to address equity gaps and ensure lifesaving interventions reach the most vulnerable,” she said.

At the state level, the Director of Public Health in Jigawa State, Dr. Abubakar Said Kanya, described the project as highly effective with strong community ownership. He noted that the state has successfully completed three rounds of Mass Drug Administration (MDA), consistently achieving 90 percent coverage.

Similarly, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Abdulrahman Shuaibu, highlighted the remarkable community acceptance recorded during implementation, noting that no resistance was reported.

Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of collaboration among researchers, policymakers, health workers, traditional institutions, development partners, and communities in advancing child health priorities.

They called for stronger policy integration, increased domestic financing, and inclusion of SARMAAN strategies in both state and national health plans to ensure long-term impact.

The Day of the African Child underscores the importance of investing in interventions that directly improve children’s lives. For Nigeria, sustaining the momentum created by SARMAAN aligns with national commitments to reducing child mortality, strengthening primary healthcare systems, and achieving Sustainable Development Goals related to child health and wellbeing.

Stakeholders reiterated that child survival remains a shared responsibility requiring commitment from all levels of government, development partners, healthcare providers, community leaders, caregivers, and the private sector.

They urged policymakers to seize the opportunity presented by SARMAAN’s achievements by placing child survival at the center of public health planning, investment, and policy decisions.

The SARMAAN Project is part of the regional REACH (Resiliency through Azithromycin in Children) Network, an evidence-based programme aimed at reducing under-five mortality in high-burden states. It implements Mass Drug Administration of azithromycin through a government-led, multi-partner approach designed to ensure scalability, sustainability, and health system strengthening.