The project Lahia Kowa, implemented in the Agadez health district of Niger, aims to enhance the health of migrant and vulnerable populations, particularly those at risk of contracting communicable diseases.
Context
Agadez, in northern Niger, is a major migration hub for people from sub-Saharan Africa traveling to the Maghreb or Europe. The migrant population in Agadez is significant and often forced into hiding. Marginalized and living in precarious conditions, particularly in clandestine homes known as “ghettos,” these individuals have limited access to essential health services, despite facing heightened risks of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Description
Led by the Nigerian NGO SongES, in collaboration with Médecins du Monde Belgium, the project Lahia Kowa aims to reduce morbidity and mortality linked to HIV and tuberculosis, among vulnerable local populations and migrants. To achieve this, the project is setting up mobile clinics to increase screening and access to treatment for these diseases. It also seeks to strengthen health service provision and build the capacity of local healthcare workers to overcome barriers to accessing care. Additionally, the project includes an advocacy component focused on gender and human rights issues, including those affecting migrant populations, as well as an awareness-raising component to enhance community knowledge and understanding of these diseases.
Impact
The project Lahia Kowa seeks to reduce morbidity and mortality linked to HIV and tuberculosis, among migrants and vulnerable populations, by improving access to care, raising awareness about these diseases, and strengthening the right to health.
