From June to October in southern Niger, the households’ food stocks are generally depleted as the next agricultural harvest is yet to come while the rainy season brings mosquitoes and malaria. These few months are critically dangerous for young children and a large number of them fall into acute malnutrition during this period and needs lifesaving medical care. MSF teams have been working with the Nigerien ministry of health in Madarounfa District Hospital in Maradi region since 2005. Beyond the hospital where the children in most severe condition are treated, the activities also include outpatient pediatric care, moderate and acute malnutrition treatment, support to community-based healthcare and seasonal malaria chemoprevention campaigns in five health areas. Recent shocks such as global food inflation and increased levels of violence and criminality in the border areas with northwest Nigeria have contributed to the malnutrition crisis in the region.

Despite major progress in Niger in the fight against malnutrition and child mortality in the last decades, too many young malnourished patients continue to be admitted to hospital in a severe condition every year and significant long-term investments are needed to run lifesaving medical nutritional activities and improve and scale up prevention programs.
These contents were gathered and produced by MSF Germany for communication and fundraising purposes in October 2022.