The Age limit for the second phase of mass administration of Azithromycin Antibiotics by the Federal Government has been extended from one to fifty Nine Months.
The World Health Organisation’s recommended project to improve Children Survival according to findings by researchers at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research has benefited over four million children across sixteen States in Nigeria.
Speaking at a media briefing by some of the NIMR Researchers in Lagos, they also called for a corresponding reduction in maternal mortality through multidisciplinary National Maternal Mortality Audit which includes autopsy evaluations of all sudden and Unexpected death of women.
Azithromycin is an Antibiotic used in the treatment of upper respiratory Track infections such as bronchitis, Pneumonia, infections of the ears,throat, lungs and reproductive organs.
The first phase of Azithromycin administration in Nigeria started in 2022 following the recommendations by the World Health Organisation for countries with high child mortality
With the age limit now extended to fifty nine months in the second phase from previous eleven months, over four million children have been saved in Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Abia, Akwa ibom states and Ten others.
Speakers at the event are also calling for a National Maternal Mortality Audit and autopsies of all maternal deaths to achieve corresponding drop in the sudden deaths of women across the country
The need for increased advocacy by journalists to ensure supervised hospital deliveries for all women also came to the fore.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
