|
|
Niger: No Meningitis Epidemics Yet This Year
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
20 February 2008
Posted to the web 20 February 2008
Niamey
Niger has registered 157 cases of meningitis that have resulted in 11 deaths this year, but there is no epidemic of the bacterial infection anywhere in the country, according to Niger's health authorities.
"None of the eight regions of Niger has crossed the threshold of requiring an alert of an epidemic," said Lamine Issa, Niger's health minister.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) threshold for issuing a meningitis alert is five cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The organisation declares an epidemic when 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants are recorded in a week.
Niger's southern neighbours Burkina Faso and Nigeria have both declared epidemics this year, and the International Federation of the Red Cross has reported on possible epidemic levels in Benin. WHO has warned 2008 could see a spike in the number of meningitis infections across Africa.
Issa said Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, has so far avoided mass infections because of a successful plan of preventative action implemented this year.
According to the ministry of health, there have been regular missions around the country to prepare for outbreaks and to stockpile 500,000 vaccination doses of in regional health centres.
"Health workers at all levels have been instructed to reinforce their efforts to follow outbreaks and to give free treatment if cases occur," Issa said.
Among the regions in Niger which recorded meningitis cases this year are Zinder, Niamey, Maradi, Tahoua, Tillabery and Dosso. The regions Agadez and Diffa remain untouched, according to the health ministry.
|
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 UN Integrated Regional Information Networks. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
