MSF in Niger: beyond malnutrition

21 October 2008

The four sections of Médecins Sans Frontières present in Niger (MSF Belgium, MSF Spain, MSF France and MSF Switzerland) are all involved in other activities besides malnutrition.

Epidemic response:

It was during a measles vaccination campaign in 2001 that Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) decided to carry out evaluations and open up a project for the case management of malnutrition. Since then, MSF has collaborated with the Ministry of Public Health every year in its response to epidemics.

In 2008, a vaccination campaign against measles during an epidemic situation in the regions of Zinder and Maradi resulted in the immunisation of some 700,000 Nigerien children between 6 months and 15 years old. This emergency intervention lasted seven weeks and reached a vaccination coverage of 91% in the targeted areas. In parallel, the MSF teams supported Nigerien health facilities in their case management of children infected with the disease.

In the districts of Birni N’Konni, Bouza and Madaoua (Tahoua region), 473,000 people were vaccinated against meningitis during a campaign led jointly by MSF and teams from the Ministry of Health.

In Birni N’Konni, MSF provided support for the treatment of cholera cases in the district hospital from September on.

Materno-infantile health and paediatrics

In Dakoro district, MSF Belgium supports the district hospital’s paediatric and maternity wards and outpatients consultations for children under five in each integrated health centre offering a centre for intensive nutritional recuperation/education (an average of around 10,000 consultations a month). In the district hospital, 1,618 children were admitted into the paediatric ward in 2007, and 1,340 to date for the year 2008. There were 718 deliveries in the maternity ward in 2007 and 841 between January and September 2008.

In the Maradi region, during the seasonal malaria peak of 2007, MSF France opened a paediatric hospitalisation unit between July and October, and supported five health centres in their treatment of malaria-stricken children. A similar intervention was planned for 2008, but could not be carried through due to the suspension. Once the suspension has been lifted, MSF can examine with the local health authorities the support required for responding to this peak, which is particularly virulent this year.

In Agadez, a team of some fifteen persons – including a gynaecologist-obstetrician and a paediatrician – provide support to the maternity wards of two integrated health centres.

Other interventions

The Swiss section of MSF intervened following flooding in Zinder in July 2008. It provided material assistance (mosquito nets, mats, jerry cans, blankets, soap) and fortified flour (Unimix) to 500 homeless families taking refuge in the town's schools.
In August, again following the floods, MSF Spain carried out a distribution of essential non-food items for some 250 families in Tillabéri.
In the Tahoua region, MSF has provided water and hygiene logistics support to several integrated health centres (rehabilitation of drinking water conveyance systems).

Looking Back: Eight Years of Treating Malnutrition in Maradi