SARMAAN II PROJECT
Advancing Child Survival Through Azithromycin Mass Drug Administration
Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest infant and under-five mortality rates globally. A significant proportion of these deaths are caused by preventable infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria.
Evidence has shown that Azithromycin mass drug administration can rapidly and equitably reduce childhood mortality in high-burden settings. Building on lessons from SARMAAN I, which focused on children aged 1–11 months, SARMAAN II expands coverage to children aged 1–59 months to maximize survival benefits and strengthen population-level impact.
The project aligns with national child health priorities and contributes toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 — ending preventable deaths of children under five.
high-burden northern states supported
Children aged 1-59 months receiving life-saving interventions
Treatment coverage achieved
community acceptance rate enabling optimal uptake
What the Project Is Delivering
Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest infant and under-five mortality rates globally. A significant proportion of these deaths are caused by preventable infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria.
Evidence has shown that Azithromycin mass drug administration can rapidly and equitably reduce childhood mortality in high-burden settings. Building on lessons from SARMAAN I, which focused on children aged 1–11 months, SARMAAN II expands coverage to children aged 1–59 months to maximize survival benefits and strengthen population-level impact.
The project aligns with national child health priorities and contributes toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 — ending preventable deaths of children under five.
Progress and Early Results
Since implementation began, SARMAAN II has demonstrated strong government ownership and leadership at state and local government levels. Despite logistical challenges related to delayed drug arrival, implementation teams achieved high treatment coverage, reflecting strong operational resilience.
Community sensitization efforts increased awareness of Azithromycin MDA from 10 percent before implementation to 90 percent during implementation. Data-driven supervision improved team performance, strengthened accountability, and enhanced decision-making throughout the campaign cycles.
The project has also strengthened collaboration across partners through integrated planning, shared supervision, and harmonized reporting structures.
