Niger Health Concerns

1) Burden of disease in Niger

According to "Death and DALY estimates" documents, burden of disease in Niger in 2004 was 780 over 1000 population, which is three times higher than the global average. Over 79 percent of burden diseases are due to communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions. Compared with 15 percent and 5 percent of DALYs attributable to non-communicable diseases and injuries, communicable diseases are much higher than non-communicable and injuries in Niger (WHO, 2009). The top three leading diseases are lower respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases and malaria.

2) Top causes of death among both adult and child populations

In the year of 2009, adult mortality rate for both sexes is 228 per 1000 population. Under-five mortality rate is 143 per 1000 live births in 2010. The percentages that make up the largest leading causes of death for all ages are lower respiratory infections at 14 percent, 11 percent for perinatal conditions and 10 percent of diarrhoea diseases. The top cause of death for those under 5, reaching 21 percent of all causes of death, is malaria. Pneumonia and diarrhoea take 20 percent and 19 percent of age under five in 2008, consecutively. (WHO, 2006)

3) Three main public health issues that must be addressed urgently

Lack of education is a problem because people are not aware of all the diseases that they may be exposed to and how they can prevent themselves from getting ill. For example, some might not recognize the symptoms for lower