Pandemic Outbreak:
By: Crizalyn Joyce
Tags: Coronavirus, Oppression, Covid 19, Covid 19 Crisis, Niger

What Hinders Niger To Provide A Better Response?

The coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19) outbreak paralyzed the global economy and became a public health emergency across the globe especially in African countries including Niger. A landlocked country, Niger is the largest country in West Africa and is perceived as one of the poorest countries. Prior to the pandemic, the country had experienced various socio-economic issues that shapes how they respond in the fight against the pandemic.

The Republic of Niger has an estimated population of 22 million as of 2020. However, with the large population that they hold does not justify the low life expectancy in the country with 54%, infant birth risk was at 25% and the mortality rate of children below 15 years of age is 45%. The economic system of the country is dependent on planning but accords an important role to private sectors. Most of their land consists of agriculture and agricultural products which is mainly the source of living of the Nigereans. The impressive self-sufficiency of the country to produce food and livestocks is mainly caused by their geographic location. Niger is also known as one of the top providers of Uranium, trading with France, Africa and China. In spite of the economic system of Niger, the poverty rate of the country was at 80% estimated that the cost of living was at 2euros per day.

Hence, this shows that NIger’s economy is at stake and their livelihood is extremely poor. In fact, Niger is the largest country in West Africa but even so they still rank atl seventh place on the poorest countries in the world. This reflects that the supposedly weak response to the eradication of covid 19 was driven by their status as a nation. The pandemic had tested the resilience and governmental strategies of each country but it can be seen that not all small and poor countries did not strive to respond well to the COVID 19 pandemic, however they are deprived of the privileges of giving a good fight in the pandemic.

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As the coronavirus transpired, it utterly affected the way of life of the Nigerien as all economic activities were interrupted and put into a halt due to the health and safety measures imposed by their government. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020 which increased the global issues that torment the various countries in Africa. The outbreak in Niger arose in February 2020 and reached its peak in April 2020 and shortly after, the cases drastically decreased and remained at a low level.

Figure 1: Epidemic Curve of Niger

The figure above illustrates the epidemic curve of Niger during the coronavirus outbreak associated with the public health measure in the country. Panel A represents the epidemic curve along with the symptoms onset and report date of cases. Panel B reflects the estimated reproduction number (Rt) on public health control measures. Meanwhile, the central dark blue lines are the values that represent the Rt and are affiliated with 95% confidence interval by date of symptom that is represented by the light blue shade.

Moreover, the triangles at the bottom reflect the action taken by the government for public health measures. The first triangle was the implementing and practicing of social distancing in Niamey which took place on March 17, 2020. The second triangle is where the Ministry of Public Health announced the first covid-19 case in the country which lead the authorities to imposed the national COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan in March 19, 2020 which was supported by the World Bank as they provide $13.95 million as a support for preventing the wide transmission of the virus. The third triangle represents the health protocols imposed in the country including the closure of schools and worship and dismissing public gatherings that led people to stay at home. The fifth triangle represents the implementation of travel ban and curfew in Niger on March 28,2020 followed by the national lockdown on March 20,2020 which the sixth triangle represents. Lastly, the seventh triangle was the reopening of worship places on May 13,2020.

As it shows in the illustrations above, Niger had immediately responded to the virus through social distancing even before they had the first case in their country. Unfortunately, Niger is considered as one of the least developed countries in the world which resulted in the shortage of healthcare resources in the country. The country lacks tools and equipment needed for treating people who's infected with the disease that made such an impact on controlling the pandemic, adding the fact that Niger is a poor country explains that even though they have tried their best to regulate the pandemic, it still had a huge effect in their country.

Figure 2: Total Number of Cases in Niger as of 2021. Presently, there are 5,555 coronavirus cases in Niger with 194 deaths and 5,267 recovered from the disease. This figure above shows a drastic increase of cases from 2020.

Indeed that the COVID-19 pandemic burdens the world and focuses on fighting, treating and controlling it. We are much focused on flattening the curve, and inventing vaccines to end this pandemic; but none of us focus on the situation in the least developed countries like Niger. The healthcare service and resources was a huge pillar of a country to fight the pandemic, and lacking it may lead to disruption in the economic sector. There are only 105 hospitals in the country and the people needed to create a self-made clinic to treat people that are positive with the covid-19 disease. Furthermore, this paper shows that Niger took the pandemic as a serious health issue and even imposed health protocols even before their outbreak.

The National response and public health control in Niger revealed the slowing transmission by 2020. However, outbreaks remain unpredictable up to this date. Niger may not have the best response and control to the pandemic due to their socio-economic stability. Their situation reflects that not all developed countries handle the pandemic better than the least developed ones, in the same way that not all poor responses of least developed countries were caused by their poor economic choices. Some least developed countries like Niger did not respond well to the pandemic because prior to the pandemic, they were already deprived of the luxury to have a stable economy. Capitalism did a great job on oppressing African countries like Niger that shaped them who they are today and reflects how they fight the pandemic.