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Charity denies hunger 'forgery' | Charity denies hunger 'forgery' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has rebutted claims that it exaggerated the number of malnourished children in Niger. | Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has rebutted claims that it exaggerated the number of malnourished children in Niger. |
The charity has appealed to be allowed to resume work in the region of Maradi, where Niger's government ordered it to stop operating in July. | The charity has appealed to be allowed to resume work in the region of Maradi, where Niger's government ordered it to stop operating in July. |
MSF said some 8,000 children had since been deprived of treatment. | MSF said some 8,000 children had since been deprived of treatment. |
The BBC's Idy Baraou reports from Niger that there are fears of a malnutrition epidemic in coming months. | |
Human rights groups report that government hospitals are not adequately equipped to deal with the challenge, he says. | Human rights groups report that government hospitals are not adequately equipped to deal with the challenge, he says. |
The situation is critical Marie-Pierre AllieMSF president | The situation is critical Marie-Pierre AllieMSF president |
But Niger's Health Minister Issa Lamine told state radio at the weekend that the situation in Maradi was "not dramatic" and that the local health authorities could handle it. | But Niger's Health Minister Issa Lamine told state radio at the weekend that the situation in Maradi was "not dramatic" and that the local health authorities could handle it. |
Niger's government has accused MSF of working illegally, inventing numbers for malnourished children, and conducting propaganda about famine in order to raise money. | Niger's government has accused MSF of working illegally, inventing numbers for malnourished children, and conducting propaganda about famine in order to raise money. |
However, MSF President Marie-Pierre Allie said her organisation had been using figures provided by Niger's health ministry. | However, MSF President Marie-Pierre Allie said her organisation had been using figures provided by Niger's health ministry. |
"Saying that MSF is forging numbers to collect money is unacceptable," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. | "Saying that MSF is forging numbers to collect money is unacceptable," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. |
"MSF is communicating to report on the situation, what's happening to the population we're serving, and not to collect money." | "MSF is communicating to report on the situation, what's happening to the population we're serving, and not to collect money." |
"The situation is critical. There is a high number of malnourished kids waiting for care in the hospitals, in the health centres, and there are many, many kids not even coming to these structures," she said. | "The situation is critical. There is a high number of malnourished kids waiting for care in the hospitals, in the health centres, and there are many, many kids not even coming to these structures," she said. |
"What I've been hearing in Maradi from the health staff is that they cannot face the situation today that too many kids were in need of care." | "What I've been hearing in Maradi from the health staff is that they cannot face the situation today that too many kids were in need of care." |