The Nigerien Minister of Public Health and Hygiene, Colonel-major Garba Hakimi, conducted an official inspection at the Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital. The unannounced visit aimed to assess working conditions, evaluate staff challenges, and identify immediate solutions to enhance healthcare delivery in the facility.
Comprehensive facilities assessment
The minister’s inspection covered critical departments including emergency services, mammography units, operating theaters, neonatal intensive care, embryology laboratories, gynecology and obstetrics wards. This hands-on evaluation provided firsthand insights into the hospital’s operational realities and staff concerns.
hospital achievements and current capacity
According to Manou Gagara, Director of Nursing Services, the hospital was established through decree N°2018-767/PRN/MSP on November 2, 2018, beginning operations in November 2019. Its mandate focuses on delivering high-quality maternal and pediatric care, contributing to medical research, training healthcare professionals, and promoting public health initiatives.
The facility currently operates with 45 active beds, 10 functional incubators in the neonatology department, and state-of-the-art medical equipment including a kangaroo care unit. Staffing comprises 188 Nigerien professionals and 26 Turkish cooperants across various specialties. In January 2026 alone, the hospital recorded 66,182 outpatient consultations, 484 hospital admissions, 212 deliveries (including 147 cesarean sections), and 28 neonatal admissions.
identified challenges and corrective measures
During the meeting, staff representatives highlighted several operational obstacles including documentation gaps, malfunctioning mammography equipment due to missing analytical components, and reagent shortages. The Minister acknowledged these concerns and confirmed that immediate interventions had been implemented to address each identified issue.
strategic partnership and future outlook
Expressing gratitude to Turkish authorities for their sustained healthcare support, Colonel-major Garba Hakimi commended the hospital’s exceptional performance indicators. He emphasized the importance of maintaining collaborative synergy between Nigerian and Turkish medical professionals to ensure continued excellence in patient care.
« We’ve systematically resolved every challenge raised. I urge all administrative staff to foster an environment of mutual trust and cooperation between Nigerian and Turkish colleagues to achieve even greater success in this vital healthcare institution, » the Minister stated firmly.
