Humans of Assamaka

Niger

Niger is affected by violence and displacement around its border regions, which are part of the central Sahel and the Lake Chad basin.

Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali share a border region in the central Sahel where state and non-state groups operate against a backdrop of high levels of poverty, climate change, rapid population growth, and increased competition for dwindling resources. 

Southeastern Niger is part of the Lake Chad Basin, where violence that began in Nigeria in 2009 spread. The region was already extremely vulnerable due to social inequalities, poverty, poor infrastructure and recurrent droughts. MSF runs health programmes throughout Niger. 
 

Key Activities

Treatment of malnutrition - English
video
Niger

Treating severely malnourished children in Madarounfa

July 2021

Every year from July to October, the combination of the hunger gap and rainy season triggers a spike in the number of children suffering from acute malnutrition and malaria in southern Niger. Follow our teams through our hospital in Madarounfa where we treat severely malnourished children with emergency care.

Our activities in 2021 in Niger

Data and information from the International Activity Report 2021.

MSF in Niger in 2021 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) scaled up activities in response to the volatile humanitarian situation in Niger in 2021, caused by conflict, internal displacement, chronic food insecurity and disease outbreaks.
Map_Niger_2021.png

In Zinder and Maradi regions, the combination of an early malaria peak and a poor agricultural season led to a significant increase in the number of children needing care. We also saw an unprecedented number of severely malnourished children coming across the border from Nigeria.  

In Maradi, we tripled our intake capacity by launching two new emergency nutrition projects through inpatient and outpatient care in Aguie and Guidam Roumjdi districts, and stepped-up activities, including intensive therapeutic feeding and paediatric care, in Madarounfa district.  

The security situation in Tillabéri region, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso, deteriorated in 2021. A spate of attacks on civilians led the region into a state of violence and internal displacement. To respond to the increased needs in Torodi, Banibangou and Ayorou districts, MSF recruited extra medical staff, conducted mobile clinics, rehabilitated the emergency unit and built a blood bank, an observation unit, and sterilisation and mental health consultation rooms. 

In Diffa region, we ran community consultations to help reduce the workload on hospitals during malaria season, provided paediatric and obstetric care, mental health support and treatment for sexual violence. 

The flow of migrants expelled from Algeria, in unofficial convoys arriving in Assamaka, did not decrease, despite tough anti-migration policies and border closures due to COVID-19. A toll-free number set up for migrants in transit continues to receive calls, and enables MSF teams to rescue migrants who have been tortured and dumped in the desert. 

Throughout 2021, MSF supported the health authorities’ responses to epidemics and floods, and vaccination campaigns against measles, meningitis, cholera and polio.  

 

In 2021
 
Niger

Emergency alert: MSF calls for free food distributions for the populations most affected by malnutrition

Press Release 9 Jun 2005
 
Niger

Alarming increase in malnutrition in Niger

Project Update 12 Apr 2005
 
Niger

Fighting epidemics and malnutrition

Project Update 18 Aug 2004
 
Meningitis

Multiple outbreaks as meningitis season starts in Africa

Project Update 31 Mar 2004

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17 December 2018