Niger’s health minister reviews operations at Niger-türkiye friendship hospital

Colonel-major Garba Hakimi, the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, undertook an official visit to the Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The primary objective of his tour was to personally evaluate the condition of the hospital’s infrastructure and equipment, examine the working environment for the medical staff, and engage in direct discussions to understand their challenges and identify effective solutions.

Upon his arrival, the Minister commenced a comprehensive inspection of various departments within the hospital. This included the emergency services, the mammography department, the operating theaters, the neonatal intensive care unit, the embryology and oocyte retrieval laboratories, and the gynecology and obstetrics ward. Following this guided tour, the ministerial delegation received a detailed presentation outlining the hospital’s history, achievements, current requirements, and existing shortcomings, before the Minister had an interactive session with the personnel.

During the presentation, Mr. Manou Gagara, the Director of Care, recounted the hospital’s establishment by Decree N°2018-767/PRN/MSP on November 2, 2018, with operations commencing in November 2019. He highlighted its vital mission: to deliver high-quality care and services to women and children, and to contribute to health research, training, and promotion. Mr. Gagara further detailed the hospital’s resources, including 45 active beds, 10 fully functional incubators in the neonatology unit, state-of-the-art equipment, a dedicated kangaroo care unit, and other essential materials designed to meet growing healthcare demands.

Mr. Manou Gagara also revealed that crucial apparatus and supplies have been procured and are soon to be distributed to the staff, enhancing their capacity to fulfill their duties. He mentioned that the hospital’s workforce comprises 188 Nigerien professionals and 26 Turkish collaborators, collectively covering all specialized consultations. He reported impressive statistics for the period from January 2025 to January 2026, noting 66,182 outpatient consultations with a 100% success rate. For January 2026 alone, there were 484 hospital admissions, 212 deliveries (including 147 Caesarean sections), and 28 admissions to the neonatology department.

Following his extensive overview, the Director of Care emphasized several persistent challenges. These included a scarcity of documentation, the non-operational status of the mammography service due to the absence of an X-ray analysis unit, and a shortage of specific reagents. Furthermore, several specialists addressed the Minister and his delegation directly, articulating their daily realities and the operational hurdles they encounter.

At the conclusion of his visit, Colonel-major Garba Hakimi expressed profound gratitude for the commitment shown by Turkish authorities in bolstering Niger’s health sector development. He also commended the hospital staff for their exceptional work, acknowledging the impressive health indicators achieved by the facility. Regarding the identified difficulties, the Minister confirmed that in-depth discussions had taken place and appropriate solutions were being implemented. He conveyed his satisfaction with the observations made and the positive outcomes reported by the hospital.

Moreover, the Minister of Health lauded the productive partnership between the two nations, urging the staff to maintain their dedicated efforts. He affirmed, “We have identified solutions for all the challenges brought to light. I call upon the entire administration to continue fostering an environment of trust between the Turkish and Nigerien personnel, ensuring a collaborative atmosphere to achieve even greater results within this hospital.”