- Title: Rift Valley Fever outbreak kills 21 in western Niger.
- Date: 30th September 2016
- Summary: TCHINTABARADEN, NIGER (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CENTRE OF ISOLATION WHERE PATIENTS WITH RIFT VALLEY FEVER ARE TREATED VARIOUS OF TREATMENT ROOM, WITH NURSES TO PATIENTS PATIENT LYING DOWN ON BED IV NEEDLE IN PATIENT'S ARM PATIENT RECEIVING DRIP MORE OF PATIENT LYING DOWN ON BED (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEDICAL CO-ORDINATOR, ALLIANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL ACTION (ALIMA) DR GILLES KOUPO SAYING: "We have set up mobile clinics, comprising of performers and nurses who have gone around in different villages to raise awareness on prevention and contamination." PATIENTS LYING IN BED DRIP PATIENT ON BED (SOUNDBITE) (Haussa) PATIENT, MAHAMOUDOU MAHAMAT SAYING: "I came to the clinic because I was bleeding. I first went to a local clinic and they gave me medication and referred me to this clinic. I was treated and the bleeding stopped. I still had headaches, but fortunately I was given medication and now I am feeling much better." MAKAKA, NIGER (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GOATS GRAZING VARIOUS OF MOBILE CLINIC, OFFICIALS WRITING DOWN PATIENTS DETAILS PATIENT HOLDING MEDICAL CHART (SOUNDBITE) (Haussa) LOCAL CHIEF, CHEICK MOHAMED SAYING: "At the beginning, everyone thought that they had malaria, and the people here were treating it using traditional medicine. But later, they realised that animals were also contracting the disease, and it was causing miscarriages amongst the animals. Many of the animals that were pregnant later had miscarriages. Thankfully, the Alima NGO came and has helped us a lot in this situation." INGHAL, NIGER (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TUAREGS AND WODAABE PEOPLE WEARING MAKE UP AT THE FESTIVAL OF NOMADS VARIOUS OF CAMEL RACE AT THE FESTIVAL (SOUNDBITE) (French) HEALTH OFFICIAL, DR AG AHMED SAYING: "We took advantage of this festival, which also brings together pastoralists, to sensitise and raise awareness on the prevention of this disease, as well as teaching people to avoid drinking unprocessed and contaminated milk and rare meat." MORE OF THE FESTIVAL
- Embargoed: 15th October 2016 14:23
- Keywords: Rift Valley Fever Healthcare Disease Patrolists Awareness
- Location: TCHINTABARADEN, MAKAKA AND INGHAL, NIGER
- City: TCHINTABARADEN, MAKAKA AND INGHAL, NIGER
- Country: Niger
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA00151RC57B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Health workers in western Niger are racing to contain an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever that has killed at least 21 people over the past month.
The highly contagious disease, which is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes or close contact with contaminated animals, has infected 52 people in Niger's western region of Tahoua since late August, the country's health ministry said.
NGO the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) and Niger's health authorities have opened an emergency treatment centre in the region's hardest-hit district of Tchintabaraden, to look after the infected and stop the disease from spreading.
"We have set up mobile clinics, comprising of performers and nurses who have gone around in different villages to raise awareness on prevention and contamination," said Dr Gilles Koupo, a medical co-ordinator for ALIMA.
With no specific treatment or effective human vaccine, Rift Valley fever can cause blindness and severe haemorrhaging, leading the victim to vomit blood or even bleed to death.
"I came to the clinic because I was bleeding. I first went to a local clinic and they gave me medication and referred me to this clinic. I was treated and the bleeding stopped. I still had headaches, but fortunately I was given medication and now I am feeling much better," said one patient, Mahamoudou Mahamat.
Niger's health ministry said people in the Tahoua region, especially pastoralists, should avoid handling meat from infected animals, boil raw milk before consumption, and ensure that the corpses of dead animals are buried carefully.
ALIMA is also working with local partners and doctors to provide a mobile clinic which travels the region to inform the public about the disease and how to prevent it from spreading.
"At the beginning, everyone thought that they had malaria, and the people here were treating it using traditional medicine. But later, they realised that animals were also contracting the disease, and was causing miscarriages amongst the animals. Many of the animals that were pregnant later had miscarriages. Thankfully the Alima NGO came and has helped us a lot in this situation," said local chief Cheick Mohamed.
Herders and farmers are deemed at higher risk of infection from the disease, which can devastate livestock.
Authorities have also intensified their awareness campaign for this target groups, especially during this time of year, where annual events such as the festival of farmers and the festival of Nomads take place, attracting hundreds of herders and farmers.
"We took advantage of this festival, which also brings together pastoralists, to sensitise and raise awareness on the prevention of this disease, as well as teaching people to avoid drinking unprocessed and contaminated milk and rare meat," said Health official, Dr Ag Ahmed.
Nigerien authorities say ALIMA and local medical teams will continue to locate infected people to provide emergency care due to the disease's high mortality rate of around 50 percent, with deaths occurring between three or six days following the onset of symptoms. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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