Niger’s health minister assesses operations at Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital

On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, Colonel-major Garba Hakimi, the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, conducted an inspection of the Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital. This visit was designed to provide a firsthand look at the facility’s infrastructure and equipment, while also allowing the minister to evaluate the professional environment and discuss specific needs with the medical staff to identify sustainable solutions.

The ministerial tour covered various critical departments, including the emergency ward, the mammography unit, the operating theaters, and the neonatal intensive care unit. Additionally, the delegation visited the gynecology and obstetrics services along with the embryology and oocyte collection labs. Following the walkthrough, a comprehensive presentation was delivered regarding the institution’s history, its operational successes, and the current gaps in service delivery, followed by an open dialogue with the hospital workers.

During the briefing, the Director of Nursing, M. Manou Gagara, noted that the hospital was established by decree in November 2018 and opened its doors in November 2019. Its primary mandate is to provide top-tier healthcare for women and children while contributing to medical research and training. Currently, the facility operates with 45 beds and 10 incubators in the neonatology department, utilizing modern equipment to handle the increasing patient load.

M. Manou Gagara further explained that essential medical devices and products have been ordered to better support the staff in their duties. The team is composed of 188 Nigerien employees working alongside 26 Turkish experts across various medical specialties. Between January 2025 and January 2026, the hospital managed 66,182 outpatient consultations. Data for January 2026 alone showed 484 hospitalizations and 212 births, including 147 cesarean sections and 28 admissions to the neonatal unit.

Despite these achievements, the Director of Nursing highlighted several obstacles, such as a lack of technical documentation, the inability to analyze mammography results which has stalled that specific service, and a shortage of certain chemical reagents. Various specialists also took the opportunity to describe their daily operational realities and the hurdles they face to the minister.

At the conclusion of his visit, Colonel-major Garba Hakimi expressed his appreciation for the Turkish government’s commitment to advancing Niger’s healthcare sector. He commended the staff for their dedication, noting that the hospital’s performance metrics are quite strong. Regarding the challenges raised, the minister confirmed that detailed discussions had taken place and that corrective measures were being implemented. He expressed overall satisfaction with the hospital’s progress and results.

Furthermore, the Minister of Health praised the productive partnership between the two nations and encouraged the staff to maintain their high standards. He emphasized that solutions have been found for the identified problems and urged the administration to foster a transparent and collaborative environment between the Turkish and Nigerien personnel to ensure continued success for the institution.