Total number of children admitted during the week ending
July 31: 1,647
July 24: 1,283
July 19: 989
Total number of children admitted since January 1, 2005: 15,768
Total number of children hospitalized as of July 31, 2005: 5,009
Total number of children in treatment as of July 24, 2005: 4,778
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MSF is operating in the regions of Maradi, Tahoua and Zinder where it is treating children suffering from severe malnutrition* and bringing food and medical aid to children suffering from moderate malnutrition*.
To successfully carry out its projects, MSF has mobilized 70 expatriate volunteers and 600 local employees. For the whole of 2005, we plan to distribute 8,450 tons of food, and the provisional budget of this emergency operation amounts to 9 million euros.
Niger is the largest nutritional intervention in MSF's history.
Severe malnutrition: 16,000 children already admitted
MSF is currently operating six intensive nutritional rehabilitation centers (TFC or CRENI - Centre de Récuperation Nutritionelle Intensive) and 33 outpatient therapeutic feeding programs where MSF treats children suffering from severe malnutrition. The Maradi centre was opened in 2001, while the centers in Aguié, Dakoro, Tahoua, Keita and Zinder have progressively been opening since May 2005 to cope with the emergency.
Between January 1 and beginning of August 2005, MSF admitted 16,000 severely malnourished children to the feeding centers. The rhythm of admissions has accelerated, with on average 1,000 children per week since the month of June and 1,600 per week at the end of July. 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 CRENI in Maradi.
Children admitted to our centers receive specialized food (therapeutic milk, Plumpy Nut®) and medical care. In addition, families of these children benefit from food distributions: during admissions, they receive a protection ration which total amount is of 25 kilos of Unimix (vitamin and mineral enriched flour) and five litres of oil. When a child leaves the program, the family receives a discharge ration of 85 kilos of food (50kgs of millet, 25kgs of beans, and 10 litres of oil).
According to estimates, in 2005 the total quantities distributed to children suffering from severe malnutrition in our centers will reach:
200 tons of Plumpy Nut®
815 tons of Unimix
1,630 tons of cereal
815 tons of beans
491,000 litres of oil
Moderate malnutrition: 4,500 tons of food to be distributed
MSF has decided to reinforce operations by organising targeted food distributions to bring aid to children under five suffering moderate malnutrition, and to other children at risk (those measuring less than 65 centimeters). In addition, five pediatric care units - within close proximity to the CRENI - are being opened to provide medical care to moderately malnourished or at-risk children.
In terms of food aid, the objective is to distribute - once a month for three months - 25kgs of Unimix and five litres of oil to 50,000 children in the areas where MSF is operating.
From now to the end of the year, the total quantities distributed should reach:
3,750 tons of Unimix
750,000 litres of oil
* A person suffers from acute moderate malnutrition when their weight-to-waist ratio is between 70 and 80% of the normal. A person suffers from acute severe malnutrition when their weight-to-waist ratio is below 70% of the normal. Acute global malnutrition covers severe and moderate malnutrition.
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