Niger tries to combat malaria
2005-09-21 10:37
Niamey - Niger will launch a four-day campaign on Sunday to treat mosquito nets for malaria, in an attempt to protect children already at risk of death from severe malnutrition, health officials said on Tuesday.
The announcement came as the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it would send 100 000 malaria treatments to the impoverished West African state, where half of all child deaths are due to the mosquito-borne disease.
"Even under ordinary conditions in Niger, 50% of all deaths among children are from malaria," the Geneva-based United Nations health agency said in a statement.
"Without appropriate measures, the toll could rise even higher, because malnutrition makes children more likely to succumb to the disease," the WHO said, warning that 100 000 children faced malaria as well as hunger.
The malaria season is at its peak in Niger and is forecast to continue until the end of October, coinciding with the harvests the country hopes will help ease the food crisis that has left an estimated 2.5 million people vulnerable.
Malaria, food shortages, locust plague
In association with the UN Children's Fund (Unicef), the Niger government will provide the necessary chemical treatment for mosquito nets across the 42 health districts in the mostly desert nation, ranked at the bottom of the UN human development index.
Radio and television public information bulletins are also planned, said doctor Aboubacar Fouta, director of the national anti-malaria campaign.
"In the most remote regions, we will ask the town criers to relay the message of the dangers of malaria and how to protect one's self," he added.
Niger suffers from chronic food shortages, made worse by last year's invasion of desert locusts, the worst in over a decade.
More than 40 000 children have been treated for severe malnutrition.
In August, the food problem was so serious that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan paid a two-day visit to Niger, warning that if more aid did not arrive soon, the situation could further deteriorate.