Nigerien authorities have launched a major preventive campaign against seasonal malaria among children aged between three months and five years.

The campaign was officially launched over the weekend in the western town of Torodi by First Lady Hadji Aissata Issoufou, the patron of anti-malaria war in Niger.

Over 9,000 health workers have been mobilized for the campaign that will last for four months, at a total cost of 4.5 billion CFA Francs (7.6 million U.S. dollars).

The objective of the Nigerien government and its partners is to reach 2.6 million children aged between 3 to 59 months within Zinder, Maradi, Tahoua, Dosso, Niamey, Diffa and Tillabery regions.

In Niger, malaria remains the main cause of morbidity with over 2 million confirmed cases in 2015, out of which 60 percent were children aged below 5 years, official statistics showed.

Source : XINHUA