Highlights:
· Since May 2013, approximately 100,000 displaced people from Nigeria have found refuge in Diffa region (South East of Niger). In May 2015, for security reasons, the government relocated more than 40,000 people out of the Chad Islands. Among them, approximately 15,000 people were transported to the Nigeria border by the government in coordination with the Nigerian authorities, while more than 25,000 relocated in 3 temporary sites where the government and its partners are providing assistance (including NFIs provided by UNICEF). Registration of the newly displaced people is on-going. Once registered, displaced people from the Chad Islands will be sensitized to be relocated in the refugee or IDPs camps.
In parallel, UNICEF continues to support displaced people (who found refuge in more than 143 villages) and host communities outside the camps and temporary sites.
· As of 03 May 2015 (week 18), 97,708 children under five benefited from the integrated treatment for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). 11.2% of these cases (10,887) were reported to have severe medical complications and were admitted into intensive care/inpatient facilities while 86,821 children were treated on an outpatient basis.
· As of 17 May (week 20) and since the beginning of the year, a total of 4,873 suspected measles cases have been registered including 14 deaths, which represent a fatality rate of 0.3%. Zinder region registered 2,805 cases (60 % of the total number of cases registered at national level). UNICEF supported immunization response campaigns in Zinder, Maradi, Tahoua and Agadez regions as well as preventive immunization in Diffa region.
· As of 27 May 2015, a total of 7,966 meningitis cases have been registered in Niger, including 537 deaths (which represents a fatality rate of 6.7%). Despite the fact that new districts are reaching the epidemic threshold such as Filingué, Illela, Kollo and Ouallam, the weekly number of new meningitis cases is decreasing.
· Since 2012, the crisis in northern Mali has forced some 50,000 Malians to flee to Niger. UNICEF, in collaboration with UNHCR and partners, continues to provide these refugees with humanitarian assistance.
· UNICEF Humanitarian response remains underfunded. It may hamper UNICEF capacity to meet the needs of the expected 366,858 severely malnourished children, the 30,000 Malian refugee children in camps and hosting areas and the 85,000 children and women displaced from Nigeria.