AFRICA/NIGER - 79,087 cases and 362 children under 5 years of age have died from severe acute malnutrition

Niamey (Agenzia Fides) - From January to September this year hundreds of children under 5 years of age died from malnutrition in the central eastern region of Zinder. In Zinder the disease is endemic, according to the latest data regarding the epidemiological situation released by the UN Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Niamey, from January 1 to September 23, 2013, there were 79,087 cases of severe acute malnutrition and 362 deaths of children under 5 years of age. Zinder, close to Nigeria, is the second most populous region of Niger and unfortunately is regularly hit by severe food shortages, caused by drought. Those who suffer most are women and children. Malnutrition is a disease mainly caused by the lack of essential nutrients for children, which results in poor growth and weakens the immune system against the most common childhood diseases. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 09/10/2013)