Niger NTD Control Programme Launches 2008 Integrated MDA

Niger NTD Control Programme launches its second mass drug administration campaign in a small village 130 km east of Niamey in the district of Boboye.

On the 5th May, 2008 the Niger NTD Control Programme launched its second mass drug administration campaign in a small village 130 km east of Niamey in the district of Boboye. The launch ceremony was officially opened by the Minister of Health, his Honourable Issa Lamine, and the Chief of Kiota, a sub-regional religious leader. In addition to senior Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education officials, the WHO country representative, a representative from JICA, Peace Corps representatives, and representatives from HKI, PLAN International and The Carter Center all attended the ceremony to launch the 2008 Integrated NTD Treatment Campaign.

First treatment of the Niger 2008 NTD mass treatment campaign

With funds from both the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Niger’s 2008 integrated NTD treatment campaign aims to treat over 8 million people (over 60% of the population of Niger) in four regions of the country (Dosso, Tahoua, Tillabery and Maradi) and will deliver drugs for schistosomiasis (bilharzia), lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness), soil-transmitted helminths (intestinal worms) and trachoma (preventable blindness).

Prior to the treatment campaign, the Niger NTD Control Programme and the Ministry of Health conducted training workshops for regional and district health and education officials, teachers and community drug distributors. Both teachers and community drug distributors are now distributing the five drugs (Ivermectin-donated by Merck, Albendazole-donated by GSK, Tetracycline-donated by UNICEF, Zithromax-donated by Pfizer, and PZQ-provided by USAID) to the target populations in each of the 26 districts.

The 2008 integrated NTD treatment campaign will be completed by the end of June. Evaluation workshops will then take place at both the regional and national level. Feedback from the evaluation workshops will aid the Niger NTD Control Programme to further reduce the burden of the NTDs in Niger in 2009.

In addition to the integrated NTD treatment campaign, scheduled for June 2008 the Niger NTD Control Programme and the National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme, aided by funds from a private donor, are collaborating with international consultants to train 15 doctors from the regions of Dosso and Tillabery to perform hydrocele surgery. These doctors once trained will return to their district hospitals where they will perform hydroceolectomies on local patients.

The Niger NTD Control Programme would like to thank all the partners, the Ministries of Health and Education of Niger, WHO, UNICEF, SCI, RISEAL, ITI, CERMES, and all the local and international NGOs who have assisted their NTD control efforts.