By Lizzy Carr
For Rasheeda Adamu, the sight of health workers moving from house to house in Miri village of Bauchi Local Government Area brought both hope and urgency.
Clutching her little child closely, she hurried out to meet the vaccination team before they passed her street.
“I did not want my child to miss it,” she said quietly, explaining that since her children first received Azithromycin under the SARMAAN II Project, she had noticed fewer cases of cough, catarrh and breathing difficulties.
Rasheeda was among several parents and caregivers in the community who commended the ongoing administration of Azithromycin to eligible children aged one to 59 months, describing it as a life-changing intervention for families in rural areas.
During the just concluded house-to-house exercise monitored by our correspondent, mothers were seen carrying babies on their backs while others called out to neighbours to alert them about the arrival of the health workers.
For many families, the exercise was more than a routine health intervention; it was reassurance that their children could be protected against common childhood illnesses.
Another resident, Musa Umar, who welcomed the vaccinators into his home, said this was the second time his children were receiving the medication.
According to him, the improvement in their health became noticeable after the first round.
“My children used to suffer from cough and breathing problems regularly, but now it has reduced. That is why whenever the health workers come, I make sure all eligible children receive the medicine,” he said.
Other caregivers, including Asamau Mohammed and Saude Abubakar, also rushed out with their children when they heard the vaccination team had arrived in the area.
The women said they feared the medication might finish before the team reached their homes.
At the Miri Primary Health Care Centre, vaccinators assembled early in the morning to collect Azithromycin doses, registers and other working materials before heading to different parts of the community.
