MSF-USA: Emergency in Niger: MSF Operations Overview

July 27, 2005
Emergency in Niger: MSF Operations Overview

<p><em>July 27, 2005</em> – In Niger, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is operating in the regions of Maradi and Tahoua where MSF has treated over 12,000 children suffering from severe malnutrition* and is bringing food to children suffering from moderate malnutrition*. To successfully carry out its projects, MSF has mobilized 50 international aid workers and 450 locally hired staff. For the whole of 2005, MSF plans to distribute 8,450 tons of food, and the provisional budget of this emergency operation amounts to 9 million euros ($10.8 million).</p>
<p><h2>Severe malnutrition: 12,600 children already admitted</h2></p>

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            <td class="photocap"><img width="250" alt="" src="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/images/news/2005/07-27-2005_niger3.jpg" /><br />
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            A mother leaving with the protection ration for her family after her child has been admitted in our outpatient nutritional center program. Photo © MSF</td>
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<p>MSF is currently providing treatment to children suffering from severe malnutrition through five intensive nutritional rehabilitation centers and 26 ambulatory nutritional centers. The Maradi center was opened in 2001, while the centers in Aguié, Dakoro, Tahoua, and Keita have opened since May 2005 to cope with the emergency.</p>
<p>Between January and mid-July 2005, MSF has admitted 12,600 severely malnourished children to these centers. The admission rate has increased dramatically since June. On average 1000 children are being admitted per week. For the whole of 2005, MSF expects to treat approximately 30,000 children suffering from severe malnutrition. Last year, 10,000 children were admitted to the MSF feeding center in Maradi.</p>
<p>Children admitted to MSF feeding centers receive specialized food (therapeutic milk and high-protein, peanut butter-based biscuit called Plumpy Nut), and medical care. In addition, families of these children benefit from food distributions: during admissions, they receive a daily ration including 11 pounds of Unimix (vitamin and mineral enriched flour) and a liter of cooking oil. When a child is discharged from the program, the family receives a ration of 187 pounds of food (110 pounds of millet, 55 pounds of beans, and 5 liters of oil).</p>
<p>According to MSF estimates, in 2005 the total quantities distributed to children suffering from severe malnutrition in through MSF feeding centers will reach:</p>
<ul>
    <li>200 tons of Plumpy Nut®</li>
    <li>815 tons of Unimix</li>
    <li>1,630 tons of cereal</li>
    <li>815 tons of beans</li>
    <li>491,000 litres of oil</li>
</ul>

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            <td class="photocap"><img width="250" alt="" src="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/images/news/2005/07-27-2005_niger4.jpg" /><br />
            <img width="1" height="2" src="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/images/global/spacer_trans.gif" alt="" /><br />
            A nutritional assistant explaining to mothers how to use the Unimix flour. Photo © MSF</td>
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<p><h2>Moderate malnutrition: 4,500 tons of food to be distributed</h2></p>
<p>To help prevent more children from slipping into a state of severe malnutrition, MSF has decided to organize targeted food distributions children under five who are suffering from moderate malnutrition and to other children at risk (those measuring less than 25 inches tall). In addition, five pediatric care units–within close proximity to the five inpatient centers–are being opened to provide medical care to moderately malnourished or at-risk children.</p>
<p>In terms of food aid, MSF's objective is to distribute–once a month for three months–55 pounds of Unimix and five liters of cooking oil to 50,000 children in the areas in which MSF is operating. The first distributions took place on July 23 in the region of Maradi.</p>
<p>From now to the end of the year, the total quantities distributed should reach:</p>
<ul>
    <li>3,750 tons of Unimix</li>
    <li>750,000 liters of cooking oil</li>
</ul>
<p>* A person suffers from acute moderate malnutrition when their weight-to-height ratio is between 70 percent and 80 percent of the normal. A person suffers from acute severe malnutrition when their weight-to-height ratio is below 70 percent of the normal. Acute global malnutrition covers severe and moderate malnutrition.</p>