GOLD FOR GALMI

THERE’S A GOLDEN GLOW AT GALMI HOSPITAL

BY TIM ALLAN, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

SIM’s Galmi Hospital has received a special gold award from the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum.

The award for outstanding public health service was presented to the hospital leadership team at a ceremony to mark Niger’s Republic Day in the capital, Niamey, just before Christmas.

Presented personally by President Bazoum, the award recognises the hospital’s huge contribution to the health of the Nigerien people since it was founded by SIM workers more than 70 years ago.

The President said: “Founded in 1950 in Galmi in the Tahoua region, Galmi is a mission hospital administered by SIM. Located on the southern edge of the Sahara to support 16 surrounding villages and far from the main

hospital centres, it functions as a real ‘oasis in the desert’. With a capacity of 180 beds, and welcoming Nigerien patients from all social statuses, the hospital treats an average of 55,000 patients a year and performs more than 3,000 surgeries thanks to the experts who come from all over the world. It is also a training centre for interns from various countries.

“In 72 years, Galmi Hospital has played a very important role in the prevention of communicable diseases, the management of medical and surgical obstetric conditions, the care of traumas from road traffic accidents and the training of Nigerien personnel.

“In the name of the republic, we award you the Niger Public Health Gold Medal.”

The hospital started as a simple village clinic in 1950, when it was staffed by SIM worker Burt Long and his wife Ruth, but has grown hugely since then. Indeed, an entire village community has grown up around the hospital.

It now has a nutrition centre, emergency and maternity departments, a paediatric clinic for the under-fives, an outpatient department, a pharmacy and surgical teams. It has 240 employees, 22 longterm mission workers, 10 surgical residents and a significant number of short-term mission visits every year.

The hospital often takes the most difficult and complicated cases. Patients come from all corners of Niger, which is a predominantly Muslim nation, and even from neighbouring countries, including Nigeria.

Despite being a private Christian hospital, it plays a vital role in the fabric of the healthcare system in Niger often taking patients from public hospitals. People see SIM Galmi Hospital as a place of hope. There is even a saying in the local Hausa language, ‘Sai Galmi’ , which means ‘Only Galmi’. Many serious medical conditions can only be treated at Galmi Hospital and public hospitals often send hard cases to Galmi.

Celebration Day (l-r): Galmi Director Yakoubou Sanoussi, Deputy Director Samaila Yamba, SIM Niger Director Jonathan Moore, Acting Chief Medical Officer Matt Megill and SIM Niger Office Manager Ajila Boubacar with the award

Hospital director Yakoubou Sanoussi emphasised how sharing Christ is at the very centre of his team’s medical ministry.

He said: “Our outpatient department setting is organised in such a way that each patient who comes to our door will hear about Christ, either through our chaplains, or from the continuous projection of the Jesus film and other means.

“Our inpatients benefit from one-on-one sharing of the scriptures and prayers. Doctors and surgical residents will spare time even with their busy schedules to stop and pray for their patients as needed.

“In the more specialised departments, such as the HIV unit, patients who come regularly build strong relationships with our workers, offering more opportunities for deep conversations. In 2022, we recorded nine professions of faith from our patients.”

SIM Niger director Jonathan Moore said: “SIM has been serving the people of Niger since 1924, and since 1950 from Galmi Hospital. This award from President

Bazoum is a tribute to all of our SIM workers over the last 72 years. Though we are storing up our treasures in heaven, it is an encouragement to see the Niger government recognise the dedication and hard work of so many people who are striving to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor.”

If you are interested in serving in Galmi please email niger.personnel@sim.org. There are vacancies for medical staff in almost all specialties and for a wide range of administrative staff.

PLEASE PRAY

 Give thanks for the government’s recognition of the contribution Galmi Hospital has made to the well-being of Nigerien people for more than 70 years

 Praise God that Galmi is a beacon of Christian hope in a predominantly Muslim country and that the gospel is preached and shared so faithfully there

 For more mission-minded medical workers to be raised up to serve in Galmi and other mission hospitals around the world

President Bazoum with Galmi Hospital Director, Dr.Yakoubou Sanoussi