Thousands of lives threatened in Niger: where is the humanitarian assistance?
Jul 07, 2005
Given the gravity of the current crisis, 10 to 15 children are dying each week, mainly in the intensive care centers where the most severe cases are treated.
No money, no food aid. This is the reality today in Niger for families suffering from food shortages. And yet the government and institutional donors had announced, in October 2004, that one-quarter of the population - around 3.5 million people - were threatened by this serious crisis.
Nine months later, even though supplies are available, millet is still inaccessible to those most affected by the lack of food.
Nine months later, there have been no free food distributions so that families without resources can obtain Niger's staple food - millet.
When will effective and exceptional emergency measures finally be implemented in response to this crisis?
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls upon the government, institutional donors and aid organisations to provide immediate emergency assistance to populations in the most affected villages by setting up free food distributions and providing free medical care for children under five.
Tens of thousands of lives in danger Tens of thousands of young children are suffering from malnutrition in Niger. Thousands are in a serious condition, likely to die if they are not immediately treated.
According to a nutritional survey conducted by MSF and Epicentre in April in villages in the northern parts of the provinces of Maradi and Tahoua, one child in five suffers from malnutrition. The severe malnutrition rates in children under five are 2.4% in northern Maradi and 2.9% in northern Tahoua. In certain villages in the district of Keita, the severe malnutrition rate is around 6%.
Since January, MSF has treated 9,000 children for severe malnutrition at its programmes in Maradi and Tahoua provinces: nearly triple the number compared to the same period last year.
MSF is expecting another increase in malnutrition during the critical "lean" period. From June to October, the major causes of malnutrition - poor quality or insufficient quantity of food and/or diseases - are at their highest level in Niger. It is a period marked by the end of food reserves, four months away from the next harvest in October, as well as the peak incidence of diarrhea and malaria during the rainy season.
In June, more than 1,000 children were admitted every week into feeding programmes in Maradi, Dakoro, Kieta and Tahoua.
No money, no food aid. This is the reality today in Niger for families suffering from food shortages. And yet the government and institutional donors had announced, in October 2004, that one-quarter of the population - around 3.5 million people - were threatened by this serious crisis.
Nine months later, even though supplies are available, millet is still inaccessible to those most affected by the lack of food.
Nine months later, there have been no free food distributions so that families without resources can obtain Niger's staple food - millet.
When will effective and exceptional emergency measures finally be implemented in response to this crisis?
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls upon the government, institutional donors and aid organisations to provide immediate emergency assistance to populations in the most affected villages by setting up free food distributions and providing free medical care for children under five.
Tens of thousands of lives in danger Tens of thousands of young children are suffering from malnutrition in Niger. Thousands are in a serious condition, likely to die if they are not immediately treated.
According to a nutritional survey conducted by MSF and Epicentre in April in villages in the northern parts of the provinces of Maradi and Tahoua, one child in five suffers from malnutrition. The severe malnutrition rates in children under five are 2.4% in northern Maradi and 2.9% in northern Tahoua. In certain villages in the district of Keita, the severe malnutrition rate is around 6%.
Since January, MSF has treated 9,000 children for severe malnutrition at its programmes in Maradi and Tahoua provinces: nearly triple the number compared to the same period last year.
MSF is expecting another increase in malnutrition during the critical "lean" period. From June to October, the major causes of malnutrition - poor quality or insufficient quantity of food and/or diseases - are at their highest level in Niger. It is a period marked by the end of food reserves, four months away from the next harvest in October, as well as the peak incidence of diarrhea and malaria during the rainy season.
In June, more than 1,000 children were admitted every week into feeding programmes in Maradi, Dakoro, Kieta and Tahoua.
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