Location: Niger - Tahoua, Abalak and Tchintabaraden districts

Situation:

Niger has very high infant and maternal mortality rates. The health system does not have enough resources to be able to fully deliver. In 2006, the government of Niger declared access to free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five. Doctors of the World (DOW) supports 10 district  health centres in Keita in the implementation of these new measures in relation to access to  healthcare.

Activities:

DOW is developing an advocacy programme, specifically adapted to the culture and aimed at improving the community's knowledge and practices in relation to nutrition and family planning (birth spacing). Community link workers are trained to run learning and nutritional recovery centres (known as FARN) as well as counselling sessions, group discussion sessions on family planning and distribution of contraception to women who have received prescriptions from trained health workers. These health workers supervise the link workers in their family planning work, organised during monthly visits. In addition, awareness-raising activities are organised around theatre events, sermons taken by imams and thematic workshops with the authorities. As a result of the project a total of 2,073 children screened, 363 children had moderate malnutrition and were cared for in the FARN facilities.

Outlook:
Home-based follow-up for the children seen in the FARN and their mothers is carried out regularly for 12 months after their discharge. A survey will enable us to measure the behavioural changes in  relation to nutrition and family planning. Advocacy activities will pass on information about the lessons learned to the communities and the authorities.