Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Niger

Niger: Meningitis Epidemic Outbreak (MDRNE017) Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA)

Attachments

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

Niger is a country largely located in the African meningitis belt (the Lapeyssonnie belt). The country is recurrently confronted with meningitis epidemic outbreaks which vary in magnitude from one year to the next. Climate change and demographic factors affecting the world today has increased the frequency of meningitis outbreak, from 8 to 10 years in the past to 2-3 years in recent years. Since the beginning of 2017, the meningitis epidemic situation in Niger has continued to worsen. As a result, the number of affected cases is increasing exponentially. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), from 1 January - 31 March 2017, at least at least 857 affected cases have been reported with 52 deaths (lethality rate: 6.1%). The report also indicates that as of 2 April 2017, at least 1,294 cases were reported in the country with 84 deaths (lethality rate: 6.5%). This statistic shows that within 2 days, at least 437 cases have been registered. The type of meningitis is Meningococcal C and the children aged 5 –14 years are by far the most, the most affected age group.

The Minister of Health, through a press conference held on 29 March 2017, officially declared the meningitis epidemic outbreak in three health centers in the district of the second neibourghhood of Niamey, including the districts of Foulankoira health Centre, Lazaret and Boukoki. Further, the Minister indicated that these the three health centres in the affected areas reported a total of 90 cases of meningitis including 4 deaths, from January 1 - March 28.

According to the Minister of Health, six other districts in the country are on alert, namely Niamey III and IV, Kollo, Tillabery region, Koni (Tahoua region), Djoundjou (Dosso region), and Tchibiri in the Maradi region. He added that other areas continue to record sporadic cases but have not reached the epidemic threshold.

In regard on the above, the MoH launched a vaccination campaign on 06 April 2017, exclusively in the three affected districts of Niamey. The vaccination program is targeting people aged 2 to 20 years old, about 10,200 people for the first phase. Currently, the country has only 133,000 doses of vaccines. This limited supply prompted the Minister of Health to start vaccination in Niamey. An additional supply has been ordered is expected to arrive from Copenhagen within two weeks. The Minister of Health has called upon all its technical and financial partners, national and international NGOs, civil society organizations, public and private sectors to expand the Ministry’s response to this epidemic. Therefore, the vaccination will target districts of high-population density and at-risk, but outside of Niamey. On this occasion, the Minister of Health call upon all its technical and financial partners, national and international NGOs, civil society organizations, public and private sectors and all the goodwill to accompany the Ministry in response to this epidemic. In response, the NRC Society organized an emergency training for 10 volunteers. They are currently conducting awareness session on meningitis control and prevention in the communities in and around Niamey.
According to the weekly report of the epidemiological surveillance team at the MoH, as of the 2 April 2017, the epidemic has reached four provinces including Niamey (three health districts), Tillabery (zone 3), Dosso and Tahoua. The report also revealed that the Meningitis epidemic threshold was reached in week 8 of the outbreak. The map below shows the breakdown of meningitis germs per health district.