Insecurity, failed crops, and forced displacement continue to severely impact children’s nutrition in Niger. In response to people’s acute needs, MSF runs some of our largest malnutrition projects globally in the country. In Magaria district, Zinder, torrential rainfall caused flooding, while the overflow of the Kori de Korama wetland contributed to malnutrition.
Our teams worked in the pediatric unit of the district hospital, providing care to children with severe malnutrition. In the Maradi region, we integrated the distribution of a fortified flour mixture called garin yara, which supports healthy growth, strengthens the immune system, and helps address nutritional deficiencies, into our malnutrition activities in five health areas in Madarounfa. This included sessions teaching community members how to use it.
Throughout 2025, MSF also worked to improve people’s access to specialized care, in particular in the Diffa and Tillabéri regions. In Diffa, MSF introduced hydroxyurea, an oral chemotherapy drug, as a better treatment option for children with sickle cell disease. In Tillabéri, we opened a second operating theater at Téra Hospital and rehabilitated the operating theater for cesarean sections in Banibangou. This strengthened surgical capacity and helped reduce referrals in an area where volatile security conditions can make medical evacuations risky.
MSF teams also worked to bring care to displaced people in Niger. This included expanding our activities in Téra, a city in the Tillabéri region. In the Agadez region, we continued to assist migrants by providing psychological support, facilitating access to health care, and distributing hygiene kits and blankets. In addition, MSF teams carried out search and rescue operations for migrants who had been violently pushed back into the desert from Libya and Algeria and referred them to facilities where we work in Assamaka for medical and psychological care.
