Aguié’s clinic is full of malnourished children, with more dying in villages, as the global food crisis worsens years of drought
The food is all finished and until the rains come no planting can be done in southernThree-month-old twins Hassan and Husseina are in intensive-care beds at a clinic in Aguié, watched over by their mother, Hadjara Hamissou. They were admitted a few days ago, their frail bodies wasted by hunger. Each weighs under 2kg , less than half the healthy weight for their age.
“His parents waited several days to bring him and by the time they came, it was too late,” says Al-Mustafa Amadou, one of the nurses. “We could not do anything to save him.” A recent emergency response plan from Niger’s government to deal with the crisis has a shortfall of $200m in its $280m budget, while theto those it helps in Niger by 50% in January as the global food crisis bites.
“Children are dying from malnutrition in the countryside because their families do not have enough money to bring them here. They just die at home. Last week we had 10 children who passed away from malnutrition at the clinic and just one doctor to care for 100 children. We are trying to employ another doctor, but even two is not enough.”
The lean season is starting earlier than expected as poor rains mean failed harvests, leaving families unable to replenish stocks or feed themselves.
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