- Impact on Disease Eradication Efforts: This emergency effort safeguarded vital progress towards eradicating schistosomiasis in Niger, where the disease persists in most of the country’s health districts, thus preventing drug wastage and re-emergence.
- Impressive Outcomes of the Response: The campaign successfully treated over 1.26 million school children, employed local support teams, trained town criers and community relays, and used radio broadcasts to ensure the intervention reached vulnerable populations.
- Rapid Campaign Execution: A coalition of Unlimit Health, Niger’s Ministry of Health, and The Life You Can Save launched a targeted, high-impact campaign involving community distributors, teachers, and local media to deliver essential treatments and raise awareness in 24 districts.
- Emergency Health Intervention in Niger: An urgent response in July 2025 prevented over 1.26 million children from suffering severe parasitic infections following the breakdown of planned treatment campaigns due to international funding cuts.
An emergency health intervention saved over 1.26 million children from debilitating parasitic infections in Niger, after the nation’s planned 2025 treatment campaign broke down in the face of international development funding withdrawal.
The schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth MDA, previously planned earlier in the year, had to be cancelled after ODA cuts severely impacted Niger’s public health budget. With WHO-provided praziquantel expiring by October 2025 and summer break schools closing in June, a rapid response was necessary.
Unlimit Health, Niger’s Ministry of Health, and The Life You Can Save (TLYCS) launched a high-intensity campaign in July 2025, reaching vulnerable groups in 24 districts and 7 regions.
“We are proud that this quick reaction demonstrates the flexibility and collaborative synergy between TLYCS, Unlimit Health, and the Ministry of Health,” said Wendy Harrison, CEO of Unlimit Health.
The Outcomes: Health Delivered on Deadline
- 1,262,173 school children were treated.
- Drugs were distributed by community drug distributors and teachers.
- Local health and education personnel consisted of support teams.
- For purposes of raising awareness and stimulating activity: 2,413 town criers and community relays were trained to spread campaign messages.
- 25 radio stations broadcast educational programs on local languages.
This emergency measure not only prevented wastage of life-saving drugs, but also saved precious momentum toward Niger’s final objective of schistosomiasis eradication, which persists in 69 of the country’s 72 health districts.
ODA Cuts Threaten Health Gains
Niger has made significant progress against schistosomiasis since 2003. The disease caused by the parasitic worm is susceptible to leading to chronic disease and stunted childhood development. Repeated, ongoing mass treatment is required to prevent re-emergence.
The victory of this last-minute campaign also accentuates the growing risk of dependency on foreign aid. With ODA financing decreasing globally, government officials warn that millions of African children will be placed in harm’s way from emerging health threats if alternate sources are not scaled up at a rush.
