Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Niamey (Agenzia Fides) - A meningitis epidemic which has stretched across several regions of Niger has killed 352 people so far, with a total of 5,273 cases recorded by the health authorities since January. The epidemic has in particular hit the capital, Niamey with about 1,200 hospital admissions in the last week alone.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is stepping up its efforts with almost 430 beds to provide free medical care for patients.
"The situation is worrying because meningitis can kill 50 percent of those infected and leave neurological sequelae if it is not quickly treated", explains the statement sent to Fides by a medical coordinator for MSF in Niger. The admissions have decreased slightly over the past week, from 160 to 100 a day in Niamey’s Lazaret center but vigilance is still required. Niger is battling different strains of meningitis in this epidemic.
Given the lack of vaccines available globally, the current priority is to focus on treating patients. As such, the medical teams are busy diagnosing and treating patients as soon as possible in order to reduce morbidity and mortality. The epidemic has also struck Dosso and Tillabery region and MSF teams are travelling to health centres in various villages in the Doutchi area to examine patients, collect medical data and provide medication to treat the disease.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, MSF has also deployed teams to vaccinate approximately 32,000 people in Bakin Tapki, Rouda Goumandey and Maikalgo. In Niger, MSF supports outpatient nutrition programmes for children under five years old in the Zinder, Maradi and Tahoua regions. Children suffering from severe malnutrition who require constant monitoring are admitted to the nutrition centres of hospitals in Zinder, Magaria, Madarounfa, Guidan Roumdji, Madoua and Bouza. In 2014, over 87,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition and 180,000 with malaria were treated in health centres managed by MSF and its partners. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 15/05/2015)
