Niger
COUNTRY BACKGROUND Located in the Sahel region of western Africa, an area prone to extended and crippling droughts, Niger is one of the world’s poorest and most underdeveloped countries. Approximately 86% of the population lives on $2 or less per day , and this widespread poverty, combined with minimal and under-funded government services, leaves 44% of Nigeriens without access to essential medicines. Niger’s leading burdens of disease are associated with poverty and a scarcity of public health resources, and include lower respiratory infections, perinatal conditions such as birth trauma and low birth weight, malaria, diarrheal diseases and measles. Several neglected tropical diseases are also hyper-endemic to Niger. Among these is trachoma, which has placed the 18% of Nigeriens with active trachoma infections at risk of blindness and the loss of their livelihoods. GLOBAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AmeriCares Trachoma Program: Preventing Blindness in Niger Trachoma is a highly infectious eye disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and is most prevalent where living conditions are crowded and sanitation systems underdeveloped. Repeat and chronic trachoma infections lead to trichiasis, a painful condition whereby the eyelids become scarred and pull eyelashes inward. The eyelashes’ perpetual scratching of afflicted persons’ corneas leads to scaring and the loss of sight. In 2004, AmeriCares joined a coalition effort led by the World Health Organization for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020). AmeriCares contributes in-kind resources for the GET 2020 strategy known as SAFE: Surgery to reverse trichiasis, Antibiotics to cure active infection; Face washing to prevent further contagion; and Environmental change, including clean water and sanitation, to reduce rates of transmission. AmeriCares works through a close partnership with the International Trachoma Initiative and Pfizer, who donates the medicine toward this WHO-led global elimination effort. Because surgery has lagged behind the other elements of the SAFE strategy, in 2008 AmeriCares will deliver 309 specialized kits of ophthalmic instruments and consumable supplies to the National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness to help scale up trichiasis surgery activities. These kits will enable health practitioners to eliminate the backlog of some 14,000 trichiasis surgeries needed in the southern region around Zinder. Additionally, some kits will be used to provide the sight saving procedure in Diffa and Maradi and to train new health practitioners in the bilamellar tarsal rotation surgical technique. Emergency Response History: Famine Relief |
