Power cuts in Niger threaten to spoil millions of vaccines as sanctions take their toll, UN says

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The U.N. is spending over 20 times more money than usual on fuel for generators to keep millions of vaccines in Niger from spoiling due to incessant power cuts. The outages are the result of severe economic and travel sanctions imposed by regional countries after mutinous soldiers toppled the country’s president last month. Country representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund in Niger, Stefano Savi, tells The Associated Press on Monday that the organization has spent $200,000 powering generators to keep vaccines across the country cold during the first three weeks of August. That’s up from approximately $10,000 a month previously and might soon run out of money, he said.