Rome, April 24 (IANS/AKI) With support from the UN, Italy has flown 15 tonnes of medical supplies and drugs to Niger to treat the country's main infectious diseases, Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said on Tuesday.
"We have provided aid to the population of Niger, which consists of health care and medicines that are due to reach Niamey aboard an Italian airforce plane," he said.
The airlift followed a request from Niger's authorities and the medical kits - which contain items that are hard to find in the impoverished country - will help the local population, Alfano said.
The aid flight took off from the UN Humanitarian Assistance (UNHRD) base in the southern Italian port city of Brindisi, which is managed by the World Food Programme, the Foreign Ministry said.
The vital medical kits will be distributed by defence and health ministry personnel to local institutions in Niger in agreement with local authorities, it added.
--IANS/AKI
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