No Longer Neglected

Niger Targets the Neglected Tropical Diseases through Mass Drug Administration

A community drug distributor using the dose poleduring the integrated NTD treatment campaign.

A mass treatment campaign targeting over 6 million people for neglected tropical diseases (NTD) was completed in Niger in the middle of June 2007. With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the NTD Control Program in Niger launched their integrated mass treatment campaign at the end of April 2007. Niger is one of five countries in Africa that is being supported by USAID’s NTD control program.

The Niger NTD control program aims to deliver safe and effective drugs for the control of schistosomiasis (bilharzia), soil-transmitted helminths (intestinal worms), lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness) and trachoma (preventable blindness). The treatment campaign targeted approximately 47.8% (over 6 million) of the total Nigerien population affected by the NTDs in three regions of the country: Dosso, Tillaberi and Tahoua.

These diseases are still an everyday reality of life here in Niger. Integrating the vertical disease programs has been successful and the integrated mass treatment for the NTDs is almost complete. Reducing the burden of these diseases in Niger is a priority for the Ministry of Health. All our partners are working together to ensure Niger’s program is a success, and continues to be a success in the years to come,’ - Dr. Amadou Garba, M.D., Niger’s NTD control program’s national coordinator.

A community drug distributor completing a treatment register

Prior to treatment, the NTD program trained over 6,000 teachers and health agents, and 12,000 community drug distributors, to distribute the drugs to the target populations. Integrated information, education and communication tools were also developed to guarantee target populations had the necessary information about the new integrated NTD programme, the integrated mass treatment campaign, how the diseases are transmitted, and how to reduce transmission of all five NTDs.

Different treatment schedules were applied to each intervention district depending on the disease prevalence and distribution. Some districts were only targeted for two of the five diseases, whereas other districts were targeted for all five NTDs. In addition, a phased treatment approach (ensuring there was at least one week between each drug distribution) was used across all 19 districts in order to ensure that treatment is kept within WHO guidelines, and there were no serious adverse effects. The NTD program plans to scale-up treatment within the next few years to guarantee that integrated treatment covers the entire country.

The NTD program in Niger is managed by the not-for-profit organization, RISEAL-Niger, which is a part of RISEAL-International (‘Réseau International: Schistosomoses, Environment, Aménagement, et Lutte’). Through a sub-contract from the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) - Imperial College London, RISEAL-International is implementing NTD programs in both Niger and Burkina Faso. The NTD program in Niger has been working closely with the Ministries of Health and Education, the WHO, UNICEF, the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), Save the Children, Helen Keller International, the Carter Center, Lion’s Club, CERMES and a range of other national and international partners to implement their ambitious integration program.

A national evaluation meeting was held 12th of July at the Palais de Congres in Niamey and was opened by the Minister of Health, Mr. Issa Lamine. Preliminary coverage results show that each of the five targeted diseases had 80% or more coverage in all of the target districts. Work is now underway to develop plans for the 2008 NTD programme.

These are diseases of poverty. Conducting mass treatment campaigns will help to ensure the people of Niger are healthier and more productive in their fields,’ – Hama Hamidou, a villager from the Say district in the Tillaberi region.