ONE MILLION GOMBE CHILDREN TO BENEFIT FROM AZITHROMYCIN INITIATIVE — MALARIA CONSORTIUM
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Malaria Consortium, in partnership with the Gombe State Ministry of Health, will launch a mass administration of Azithromycin for about one million children across Gombe State from November 10 to 14, 2025.
The initiative, under the SARMAAN II Project, aims to reduce child deaths caused by preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, and sepsis.
Project Manager Abubakar Isa said trained Community Drug Distributors will visit homes to give the drug to children aged 1 to 59 months in all 11 LGAs.
Technical Specialist Dr. Obiora Anidebe noted that the project is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and SCIDaR, working through local health systems for wider reach.
Director of Public Health, Dr. David Karatu, commended the partners, assuring the Ministry’s full support to ensure the project’s success and sustain efforts to improve child survival in the state.