health minister assesses working conditions and staff needs at Niamey’s flagship hospital
The Nigerien Minister of Public Health and Hygiene, Colonel-major Garba Hakimi, conducted an on-site inspection at the Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital in Niamey to evaluate infrastructure, equipment, and staff working conditions. The visit aimed to identify challenges faced by healthcare workers and explore practical solutions to enhance service delivery.
Upon arrival, the minister toured critical hospital departments, including the emergency unit, mammography service, operating theaters, neonatal intensive care, embryology and oocyte collection labs, and the obstetrics and gynecology ward. Following the inspection, a detailed briefing highlighted the hospital’s achievements, ongoing needs, and existing gaps before a constructive dialogue with medical staff.
hospital overview: mission and achievements
The Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital, established by Decree N°2018-767/PRN/MSP on November 2, 2018, and operational since November 2019, serves as a specialized healthcare facility for women and children. Its mandate includes providing high-quality medical care, advancing medical research, and supporting health promotion initiatives.
According to Manou Gagara, Director of Nursing, the hospital operates with 45 active beds, 10 functional incubators in the neonatology unit, state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, a kangaroo care unit, and specialized resources tailored to growing patient demand. The facility employs 188 Nigerien and 26 Turkish healthcare professionals across multiple specialties, ensuring comprehensive outpatient and inpatient services.
performance metrics and staffing challenges
In January 2026 alone, the hospital recorded 66,182 outpatient consultations with a 100% success rate from January 2025 to January 2026. It also handled 484 hospitalizations, including 212 deliveries—147 of which were cesarean sections—and 28 admissions to the neonatology department. To further strengthen operations, several essential medical devices and supplies have been procured and will soon be deployed to staff.
However, the hospital faces operational hurdles, including:
- Limited documentation resources and lack of mammography analysis capabilities, rendering the mammography service non-operational.
- Shortages of critical reagents and specialized lab materials.
- Communication gaps between Nigerien and Turkish staff affecting collaborative efficiency.
During the visit, healthcare workers shared their experiences and highlighted these challenges, emphasizing the need for systemic improvements to sustain high-quality care.
minister’s recommendations and next steps
Colonel-major Garba Hakimi commended the Nigerien and Turkish teams for their dedication and highlighted the hospital’s strong performance metrics. He acknowledged the identified challenges and confirmed that actionable solutions were discussed and implemented to address them.
The minister emphasized the importance of fostering a collaborative environment between Nigerien and Turkish healthcare professionals to sustain operational excellence. He stated, “All identified issues have been resolved. I urge the administration to maintain this spirit of trust and collaboration to achieve even greater results at this vital healthcare institution.”
He also praised the successful Niger-Türkiye partnership in strengthening Niger’s health sector and encouraged continued teamwork to improve maternal and child health outcomes nationwide.
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