U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)

NIGER: US $20.55 million for health care project

ABIDJAN, 19 October (IRIN) - The African Development Bank (ADB) has
approved a loan of approximately US $21 million to finance a health care
project (Health Project II) in Niger, a news release from the bank said on
Thursday.

The project aims to improve the health of the population and reduce
poverty in Niger. It will contribute to reducing the yearly death toll of
major diseases such as malaria, respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS and
sexually-transmitted diseases, and malnutrition.

According to the release, the project will improve health coverage through
the construction of 16 Integrated Health Centres (IHCs) and a district
hospital. It will rehabilitate two other district hospitals and a health
centre as well as facilitate the training of more than 2,000 community
health workers.

Meanwhile, ADB has also approved a loan of approximately US $7.5 million
to finance an agricultural development project in Zinder Region in Niger.
The project will contribute to poverty reduction and improve the standard
of living of some 1,500 farming families.

It also seeks to increase agricultural and livestock production and to
contribute to preserving the environment through water and soil
conservation projects.

[ENDS]

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[This item is delivered in the "africa-english" service of the UN's IRIN
humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views
of the United Nations. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post
this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial
sites requires written IRIN permission.]

Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2001